“That ’70s Show” star Danny Masterson sentenced to 30 years to life for raping 2 women

Actor Danny Masterson, known for his role in ‘That ’70s Show,’ was handed a sentence of 30 years to life in prison on Thursday.

This verdict came over two decades after he raped two women at his Hollywood Hills residence. Masterson, 47, received this sentence four months subsequent to his conviction on two out of three rape charges during his retrial in Los Angeles.

The former beloved star of the sitcom, who refrained from testifying in both his trials, has consistently refuted the allegations of sexual assault made by the women. Masterson faced charges for allegedly raping three women, referred to as Jane Doe #1, Jane Doe #2, and Jane Doe #3, spanning from 2001 to 2003. His initial trial concluded in November 2022 with a mistrial, as the jurors were leaning towards an acquittal.

In his second trial, Masterson was found guilty of raping Jane Doe #1 and Jane Doe #2, while he was not convicted for the assault on Jane Doe #3. All three accusers were former members of the Church of Scientology, of which Masterson is still a part.

Both trials drew unwelcome scrutiny towards the contentious church, as the women asserted that it attempted to suppress their accusations.

During the retrial, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo emphasized that Scientology was not on trial.

However, she permitted witnesses to recount instances where church officials exerted pressure on them to refrain from speaking to the police about the rape allegations.

According to Scientology spokeswoman Karin Pouw, these allegations have been consistently refuted, and she maintains that church teachings dictate members must ‘comply with all legal statutes.’