Actor Danny Masterson sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for rape for accusations from 20 years ago

On Thursday, former That 70s Show actor Danny Masterson was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for the rape of two former Church of Scientology members.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the sentencing comes after Masterson, 47, was convicted of two counts of rape in May, with a jury being deadlocked on a third woman’s case. 

The assaults took place in the early 2000s, with the victims saying that they came forward years later because Scientology forbade them from reporting a fellow church member to the police. Masterson has been a lifelong member of the church.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo sentenced Masterson to 15 years to life on each count, which will be served consecutively.

The victims testified the violent assaults took place at his home while Masterson appeared on That 70s Show, with the women saying that Masterson served them drinks that made them feel nauseated and disoriented.

Masterson did not speak at his sentence, and did not speak in his own defense at either trial.

One of the victims, Chrissie B, a former girlfriend of Masterson, said that they had an abusive relationship that began when she moved to Los Angeles. 

She alleged that Amsterson spat on her, called her "white trash," and had sex with her while she was sleeping.

In November of 2001, she woke up to find Masterson forcing himself on her, and when she said no, she testified that he pinned her down and raped her. Jurors were deadlocked in her case.

Jen B testified that she became faint feeling after having a drink with Masterson, who brought her home and violently raped her, suffocating her with a pillow and wielding a gun. In her victim impact statement, she spoke of the last time she spoke to her mother, who is still a Scientologist.

"She texted me and told me to never contact her again," Jen B. said. "She had warned me ahead of time she wanted to see Danny Masterson locked away for what he’d done to me, but not at the expense of her religion."

N Trout testified on a similar experience, being taken home after she was served a drink that made her feel weak. Trout said that as she lost the ability to fight back, Masterson groped her and penetrated her with fingers before raping her so violently that she vomited.

She said that she has been tormented by Scientology members for speaking out against Masterson.

"Since the week I came forward to police I have been terrorized, harassed and had my privacy invaded daily by the cult of Scientology for almost 7 years now," she said. "But I don’t regret it."

The church has denied having a policy barring its members from reporting other members to the police.

At a preliminary hearing though, Deputy Dist. Atty. Reinhold Mueller read passages from "Introduction to Scientology Ethics," which discourages members from reporting each other to the police.