Danny Masterson Sentenced to 30 Years to Life for Rape Conviction: From '70s Show Star to Prison Time
Long Island-born actor Danny Masterson, aged 47, received a significant prison sentence of 30 years to life on Thursday, September 7. This ruling followed his conviction on two counts of rape, as reported by ABC News.
Masterson, who hails from Alberston, was sentenced to 15 years for each of the two counts related to the sexual assault of two women. These convictions arose from a retrial conducted in May 2023.
Notably, the former "That '70s Show" star had previously faced rape accusations from three women, one of whom was a former girlfriend. All three were affiliated with the Church of Scientology, an organization to which Masterson also belongs.
The initial trial took place in November 2022 but ended in a hung jury, leading to a mistrial declaration.
In the most recent trial, prosecutors decided not to pursue the third count of rape, resulting in its dismissal.
The assaults occurred between 2001 and 2003. The victims initially hesitated to report Masterson due to guidance from their church, which discouraged involving law enforcement.
Eventually, all three women left the Church of Scientology.
Although Masterson was found guilty of raping Jane Does 1 and 2, with the third count dismissed, ABC News reported that Judge Charlaine Olmedo permitted all three women to share their victim impact statements during Masterson's sentencing.
Masterson embarked on his career as a child model and commercial actor at the tender age of four. His breakthrough came when he secured the role of Steven Hyde in "That '70s Show," alongside notable stars such as Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher. He continued to act in the sitcom throughout its eight-season run.
Subsequently, Masterson reunited with Kutcher from 2016 to 2018 in "The Ranch." However, as allegations of rape came to the fore, his character was written out of the series.
Similarly, Masterson was conspicuously absent from the cast of "That '90s Show," a sequel to the series that catapulted him to fame. This omission was a consequence of the allegations and his ongoing trial.
Since 2011, Masterson has been married to his wife, Bijou Phillips, and the couple shares a nine-year-old daughter.