Danny Masterson, an actor known for his role in "That 70s Show," was convicted of two counts of rape in a Los Angeles retrial in May 2023. The charges against him stemmed from allegations that he sexually assaulted three women in the early 2000s. Masterson's accusers claimed that he had drugged them before assaulting them. Many of the women involved in the case were either current or former Scientologists, and they alleged that the church had suppressed them from reporting Masterson to the LAPD.
Masterson was initially accused of sexual assault in 2017 when four women claimed that he had assaulted them in the early 2000s. A fifth woman came forward in December 2017, alleging that Masterson had "repeatedly raped" her. In June 2020, Masterson was charged with three counts of rape in his criminal case. He was not charged with five counts because two of the women's cases had insufficient evidence and statutes of limitations. If convicted, Masterson could face up to 45 years to life in state prison.
The first trial ended in a mistrial after the jury deadlocked, but a retrial focused on the same allegations resulted in Masterson's conviction. The actor was found guilty of raping Jane Doe #1 and another woman identified as Jane Doe #2. The jury could not reach a verdict on the third count of rape. Masterson was taken into custody on September 6, 2023, and his sentencing is scheduled for August 4. He faces a potential sentence of 30 years to life in state prison.
