“A judge, as reported by various sources, has delivered a verdict of 30 years behind bars to Danny Masterson, the actor renowned for his role in the television series ‘That ’70s Show,’ following his conviction on charges of sexually assaulting two women.”
District Attorney George Gascon said in a statement, “For Mr. Masterson’s victims, this has been a long and difficult road. They not only survived his abuse but also a system that often fails to be compassionate toward victims.”
The Associated Press has reached out to Masterson’s lawyer for a statement.
Masterson, a member of the Church of Scientology, was a star in the hit sitcom “That ’70s Show,” which ran from 1998 to 2006. He was first accused of sexual misconduct in 2017, which prompted an investigation by the LAPD. In June 2020, he was charged with sexually assaulting three women, including his former girlfriend, between 2001 and 2003 at his Hollywood Hills home. All three women had met Masterson through the Church of Scientology.
According to the Associated Press, one of the women told Masterson in court this morning, “You are pitiful, disturbed, and entirely violent.”
Last year, a mistrial was declared due to a hung jury. Prosecutors filed charges against Masterson again in May, and jurors were informed that he had drugged the women and tried to silence them. The jury found him guilty of sexual assault on two counts but couldn’t reach a verdict on the allegation that he had raped his former girlfriend over an extended period.
Masterson’s final role was in the Netflix sitcom “The Ranch,” where he co-starred with his former “That ’70s Show” castmate Ashton Kutcher. However, after the allegations in 2017, he was removed from the show.”