Danny Masterson Gets 30 Years for Rape Conviction

Danny Masterson is headed to prison.

The That ’70s Show alum was sentenced to 30 years after being convicted of rape earlier this year.

Ahead of the sentencing, it was reported that he faced a sentence of 30 years to life in prison.

The news comes months after a jury of seven women and five men found Masterson guilty of two of three rape counts after seven days of deliberations.

Masterson was accused of raping three women at his Hollywood Hills home from 2001 and 2003, at the height of his fame on the FOX comedy series.

The actor’s first trial ended last year in a mistrial, but the judge opted to re-try The Ranch alum with a different set of jurors.

All three women in the case opened up to the judge about how Masterson’s crimes had ruined their lives and requested that he be given life behind bars.

In the initial trial, the women testified that they felt weak or woozy and had little memory after Masterson prepared them a drink.

As part of the retrial, prosecutors argued that Masterson drugged the women.

“The evidence will show they were drugged,” said Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Reinhold Mueller in his opening statement in April. 

“The symptoms that they’re going to describe,” Mueller told the jury, will include “lightheadedness, loss of vision, loss of motor skills, loss of strength, inability to control their body, vaginal pain, anal pain, all occurring after the defendant had given them an alcoholic beverage and all occurring within a matter of minutes.”

“Mr. Masterson, you are not the victim here. Your actions 20 years ago took away another person’s voice and choice,” Judge Charlaine Olmedo said as she sentenced Masterson on Thursday in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom, per Variety.

“Your actions 20 years ago were criminal, and that is why you are here.”

He was then sentenced to 15 years to life on each of the two charges, ordering Masterson to serve both terms consecutively.

The outlet reports that Masterson’s wife, Bijou Philips, was present at court alongside his siblings, Alanna Masterson (The Walking Dead) and Jordan Masterson (Malcolm in the Middle).

Masterson’s defense had asked the judge for a 15-year sentence.

Edit Delete

Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.