U.S. NewsCrime

Actions

Danny Masterson in maximum-security prison that housed Charles Manson

The "That '70s Show" actor was convicted last year of two rapes he committed in 2003, for which he received a prison sentence of 30 years to life.
Actor Danny Masterson
Posted at 1:39 PM, Feb 01, 2024

"That '70s Show" actor and convicted rapist Danny Masterson has been transferred to a maximum-security prison that once housed cult leader and murderer Charles Manson. 

Masterson was convicted last year of two rapes he committed in 2003, for which he received a prison sentence of 30 years to life. 

California state prison records show the actor is being held at Corcoran State Prison, which was founded in 1988 and known for housing some of the nation's most infamous criminals, such as Manson, who died in 2017. "Freeway Killer" William Bonin, who killed at least 21 young men and boys in Southern California in the late 1970s and 1980s, was also housed at the prison until his execution by lethal injection in 1996. 

"Inmates at Corcoran State Prison live in small, cramped cells, often shared with one or more cellmates. Living conditions have been criticized for being overcrowded and unsanitary, with inadequate access to medical care and basic necessities," Corcoran State Prison says on its website. 

The prison says it has armed guards, surveillance cameras, razor-wire fences, and electrified barriers. It has been the subject of numerous lawsuits over the years, alleging neglect, abuse and violation of inmates' rights.

'That '70s Show' actor Danny Masterson gets 30 years to life in prison
Danny Masterson is pictured.

'That '70s Show' actor Danny Masterson gets 30 years to life in prison

Actor Danny Masterson was sentenced Thursday after being convicted months ago for raping two women in 2003.

LEARN MORE

Masterson's transfer came a week after he was denied bail. In documents obtained by The Wrap, Judge Charlaine Olmedo wrote in her order that the actor was considered a flight risk. 

"If defendant's conviction and sentence are upheld on appeal, he will likely remain in custody for decades and perhaps the rest of his life," Olmedo wrote. 

"In light of the fact that defendant has no wife to go home to, defendant now has every incentive to flee and little reason to return to state prison to serve out the remainder of his lengthy sentence should his appeal be unsuccessful," the judge said, referencing Masterson's divorce proceedings with estranged wife Bijou Phillips. 

Phillips filed for divorce shortly after the actor's sentencing. The two share a daughter, Fianna.

Danny Masterson's wife files for divorce after rape sentence
Danny Masterson and his wife Bijou Phillips

Danny Masterson's wife files for divorce after rape sentence

Actress Bijou Phillips had been by her husband's side during his trial and retrial, where he received a sentence of 30 years to life.

LEARN MORE