By Wonderwall.com Editors
1:45pm PST, Feb 5, 2024
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Danny Masterson, who played Steven Hyde on "That '70s Show" and is now serving 30 years behind bars for rape, has been moved to California State Prison, Corcoran, a maximum-security prison that previously housed Charles Manson, state records show.
Danny, 47, was convicted in Los Angeles in 2023 on two counts of rape stemming from incidents in the early 2000s.
The actor is now being housed in the highest-level security available at the Central California facility, Level 4, and is expected to remain at Corcoran for most of his 30-year sentence, according to TheWrap.
Keep reading for the details, including an update on his estranged wife and daughter…
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First reported by the blogger (and former Scientologist) Jeffrey Augustine, Danny's recent move puts him in the same spot between Bakersfield and Sacramento where Charles Manson was housed beginning in 1989.
Sirhan Sirhan, the man convicted of assassinating Robert F. Kennedy, is also a former inmate.
Corcoran's Level 4 security region is protected by "fenced or walled perimeters, electronic security, more staff and armed officers both inside and outside the installation," according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Should Danny's safety become a serious concern, he'd likely be moved to the prison's smaller, Protective Housing Unit, reserved for inmates in need of "extraordinary protection from other prisoners," per state documents cited by Wikipedia.
Keep reading for more on the allegations against Danny and how his co-stars from "That '70s Show" got involved…
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On the heels of her ex's housing situation, Bijou Phillips gave a brief personal update on Feb, 4, telling E! News "doing good."
She added that her and daughter, Fianna Francis Masterson, are a "great little team."
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Los Angeles police first began investigating Danny Masterson in 2017 after three women accused the actor of sexual assault. Danny denied the claims, but when a fourth allegation surfaced later that year, he was fired from his gig on the Netflix sitcom "The Ranch." A fifth rape allegation followed as Danny's team at United Talent Agency dropped him.
As the investigation continued, Leah Remini shot a special for her "Scientology and the Aftermath" series featuring some of Danny's accusers. In "Waiting for Justice," which aired in 2019, the women claimed the Church of Scientology protected Danny and covered up his alleged crimes. They made similar allegations against the star and the church in a civil suit filed in 2019.
Danny continued to deny the rape allegations, while the Church of Scientology shrugged off the claims, calling them "baseless" in a statement to HuffPo.
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In 2020, following a three-year investigation, Danny Masterson was charged with raping three women. A trial followed, as did a retrial which ultimately saw Danny convicted in May 2023 of two counts of forcible rape.
The star's former castmates from "That '70s Show," meanwhile, drew heat for defending Danny via letters of support, portions of which were obtained and published by outlets including People magazine.
Ahead of their former co-star's sentencing, Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp contributed statements to the judge about Danny's character.
"As a role model, Danny has consistently been an excellent one," Ashton wrote, in part. "I attribute not falling into the typical Hollywood life of drugs directly to Danny." Noting that his friend "has always treated people with decency, equality and generosity," Ashton also said Danny was "an extraordinarily honest and intentional human being."
In a separate letter, Mila, who is married to Ashton, also called Danny a "role model" and praised "his innate goodness and genuine nature."
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Despite his former castmates' letters of support, Danny Masterson was sentenced on Sept. 7, 2023, to 30 years to life in prison.
Within days of the sentencing, the actor's wife, Bijou Phillips, filed for divorce. She'd been photographed at his side for much of the trial and was reportedly in the courtroom when he was sentenced. Danny signed over custody of the pair's daughter, Fianna, to Bijou in October of that year.
As for the backlash against Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis over their letters of support for Danny, the couple addressed the situation with a video posted to Instagram two days after sentencing.
"We are aware of the pain that's been caused by the character letters that we wrote on behalf of Danny Masterson," Ashton said in the video.
Mila added, "We support victims. We have done this historically through our work and will continue to do so in the future."
The couple went on to explain how they came to be involved in sending the character letters. It's unclear if they've had contact with Danny since his prison relocation.
The actor won't be eligible for parole until 2042, when he's 66, according to TheWrap.
