Danny Masterson, who was convicted in May of r@ping two women, has been sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for his crimes, according to NBC, the LosAngelesTimes and CBS.
Before Masterson was sentenced, the two women he was convicted of raping gave victim impact statements.
“When you raped me, you stole from me,” said Masterson’s 2003 victim, the Associated Press reported. “That’s what rape is, a theft of the spirit.”
“You are pathetic, disturbed and completely violent,” she said. “The world is better off with you in prison.”
The other victim told the court that she “knew he belonged behind bars for the safety of all the women he came into contact with,” according to AP.
“I am so sorry, and I’m so upset. I wish I’d reported him sooner to the police,” she said.
Masterson was charged in 2020 with forcibly raping three women in separate incidents between 2001 and 2003. He pleaded not guilty to all three charges in January 2021.
At the time, Masterson’s attorney Tom Mesereau issued a statement to PEOPLE that said, “Mr. Masterson is innocent, and we’re confident that he will be exonerated when all the evidence finally comes to light and witnesses have the opportunity to testify.”
All of the crimes occurred at Masterson’s home, prosecutors said, and all three accusers took the stand to detail their allegations in May 2021 in a preliminary hearing.
Danny Masterson was initially tried for the allegations in late 2022, but a mistrial was called after jurors were unable to come to a unanimous verdict. Ten of 12 of jurors wanted to find Masterson not guilty based on the evidence presented.
Many of the allegations against Masterson first surfaced in March 2017 when the LAPD’s Robbery Homicide Division confirmed an investigation was taking place into sexual assault allegations against the actor. In November 2017, HuffPost reported that a fourth woman had accused Masterson of raping her in the early 2000s.
After the allegations came to light, Masterson was removed from the Netflix series The Ranch — which he appeared in alongside former That ’70s Show costar Ashton Kutcher. United Talent Agency also cut ties with the actor.
