'That 70s Show' actor Danny Masterson was transferred to state prison to serve 30 years to life for forcible rape conviction
Bijou Phillips' divorce filing from Danny Masterson leaves legal questions: expert
Attorney Christopher C. Melcher said there's an ‘inconsistency’ in the divorce paperwork Danny Masterson's wife filed when she asked a court to end their marriage just weeks after he received a lengthy prison sentence.
Danny Masterson was transferred from the Men's Central Jail in Los Angeles to the North Kern State Prison on Wednesday, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR).
Masterson, 47, was pictured wearing an orange jumpsuit in a mugshot provided by the CDCR to Fox News Digital.
In September, the "That '70s Show" actor was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison after being found guilty in May on two counts of forcible rape. A jury was hung on a third charge.
DANNY MASTERSON SENTENCED TO 30 YEARS IN PRISON FOR FORCIBLE RAPE
Danny Masterson was admitted to North Kern State Prison in Kern County, California, on Wednesday, months after his rape conviction. (CA Dept. of Corrections and Rehabilitation/Getty Images)
Representatives for Masterson did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Masterson is "going through the classification and reception process" at the medium-security state prison located north of Bakersfield.
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His estranged wife, Bijou Phillips, filed for divorce two weeks after his conviction, and requested Masterson receive visitation of their daughter.
Phillips, the daughter of John Phillips of the folk-rock vocal group The Mamas & the Papas and actress Genevieve Waite, also requested spousal support in documents obtained by Fox News Digital.
Danny Masterson was convicted of two counts of rape by force in May. (CA Dept. of Corrections and Rehabilitation)
Bijou Phillips filed for divorce two weeks after Danny Masterson's conviction. (Myung J. Chun)
Masterson initially faced up to 45 years in prison for three counts of rape by force or fear, which occurred between 2001 and 2003 at his Hollywood Hills home.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo sentenced Masterson to 15 years to life on each count, and ordered the sentences to be served consecutively. The sentence was the maximum allowed by law. It means Masterson will be eligible for parole after serving 25 1/2 years, but can be held in prison for life.
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In a statement provided to Fox News Digital, Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón said, "This has been a long and arduous road for the victims of Mr. Masterson. They not only survived his abuse, they also survived a system that is often not kind to victims."
The "Ranch" actor was on trial for the second time less than six months after his first ended in a mistrial in November 2022.
Danny Masterson was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison on two counts of rape. (Chris Pizzello)
Masterson's legal team noted after sentencing that the 47-year-old plans to appeal the court's decision due to "substantial" errors found during the trial.
"For the past several months a team of the top appellate lawyers in the country has been reviewing transcripts of the trial. They have identified a number of significant evidentiary and constitutional issues which they will address in briefs to both the state and federal courts," Masterson's lawyer, Shawn Holley, said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital.
When asked for comment on the sentencing, the Church of Scientology, of which Masterson is a member, referred to the same statement it provided to Fox News Digital in May, claiming that the introduction of religion into Masterson's trial violated First Amendment rights.
"The Church has no policy prohibiting or discouraging members from reporting criminal conduct of anyone — Scientologists or not — to law enforcement," the statement reads. "Quite the opposite, Church policy explicitly demands Scientologists abide by all laws of the land. All allegations to the contrary are totally FALSE. There is not a scintilla of evidence supporting the scandalous allegations that the Church harassed the accusers. Every single instance of supposed harassment by the Church is FALSE and has been debunked."
Tracy Wright is an entertainment reporter for Fox News Digital. Send story tips to
