By Ashley Robinson Daniel Peter “Danny” Masterson is an American actor best known for playing Steven Hyde on the television sitcom That ’70s Show. He is now serving a California prison sentence of 30 years to life after a Los Angeles jury convicted him of raping two women. The verdict in May 2023 ended a lengthy criminal prosecution, but it did not end the legal battle. Masterson has appealed his convictions and filed a separate petition challenging the quality of his defence at trial. As of October 12, 2026, he remains imprisoned, with his first reported opportunity for parole still many years away.
Is Danny Masterson in Prison Right Now?
Yes. Danny Masterson remains in California state custody under the sentence imposed on September 7, 2023. His convictions on two counts of forcible rape have not been overturned, and no court order releasing him has been reported.
An appeal does not automatically suspend a prison sentence. Masterson has challenged the fairness of the trial, but those arguments do not amount to a new verdict unless a court grants him relief.
Where Is Danny Masterson Being Held?
The latest widely reported prison placement is California Men’s Colony in San Luis Obispo, a state facility with medium- and minimum-security operations. The Associated Press identified him as being held there in November 2025, and reports in 2026 continued to list the institution as his place of incarceration.
His placement changed several times after sentencing. He entered North Kern State Prison in December 2023, moved to California State Prison, Corcoran, in January 2024, and was transferred to California Men’s Colony the following month. Prison assignments can change, so the state’s current incarcerated-person records remain the appropriate source for a precise, up-to-the-day location.
Why Did Danny Masterson Go to Prison?
The criminal case arose from accusations that Masterson raped three women at his Los Angeles-area home in the early 2000s, while he was appearing on That ’70s Show. Prosecutors charged him in June 2020 with three counts of rape by force or fear. The women and Masterson had connections to the Church of Scientology, a subject that became prominent during the proceedings.
At trial, prosecutors presented testimony from women who described sexual assaults and said they had faced obstacles in reporting them. Masterson denied the allegations and maintained that the encounters were consensual. The jury ultimately convicted him in two cases, rather than on all three charges.
What Was Danny Masterson Convicted Of?
Masterson’s first trial ended in a mistrial in November 2022 because the jury could not reach unanimous verdicts. Prosecutors retried the case the following year. On May 31, 2023, a Los Angeles jury found him guilty of two counts of forcible rape involving two women. It could not reach a verdict on a third count involving a former girlfriend.
The prosecution subsequently decided not to pursue another trial on the unresolved count, which was dismissed in July 2023. That distinction is important: Masterson was convicted of two rape charges, while the third did not result in a conviction or an acquittal by the second jury.
How Long Is Danny Masterson’s Prison Sentence?
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo sentenced Masterson to 30 years to life on September 7, 2023. The sentence followed statements in court from women affected by the crimes and arguments from both sides about punishment.
A 30-years-to-life sentence is not the same as a fixed 30-year term, and it is not life without the possibility of parole. It is an indeterminate sentence: Masterson may eventually become eligible for a parole hearing, but release would depend on the parole board’s decision and other applicable legal requirements.
When Will Danny Masterson Be Eligible for Parole?
Published California prison-record reporting places his earliest parole eligibility in 2042. Reports have differed slightly over the precise month, so 2042 is the more reliable figure to use without a fresh individual custody record. The date reflects California’s sentence and credit calculations; it should not be calculated simply by adding 30 years to his 2023 sentencing date.
Parole eligibility does not mean automatic freedom. California’s Board of Parole Hearings would have to consider whether release is appropriate under the law, including public-safety concerns. He could remain in prison beyond his first eligibility date if parole were denied.
Has Danny Masterson Won His Appeal?
No successful appeal overturning his convictions had been confirmed as of October 12, 2026. His legal team filed an extensive direct appellate challenge arguing that evidentiary and procedural decisions deprived him of a fair trial.
On June 25, 2026, a three-justice panel of California’s Second District Court of Appeal heard oral arguments. Masterson’s appellate lawyer, Cliff Gardner, argued that jurors had not heard important evidence relevant to the accusers’ potential financial motives and certain communications between them. The state argued that the proposed evidence was speculative or insufficiently relevant and defended the trial judge’s rulings. The panel took the case under submission; the hearing itself did not invalidate the convictions.
What Is the Separate Habeas Corpus Petition About?
In November 2025, Masterson filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus, a different legal process from his direct appeal. It argues that trial lawyer Philip Cohen failed to call or develop witnesses and evidence that Masterson’s new attorneys believe could have aided his defence. It also raises allegations about the treatment of Scientology-related evidence and bias during the proceedings.
These are claims made by his legal team, not judicial findings that the trial was unfair. A habeas petition allows a court to examine certain constitutional and factual issues, but filing one does not itself erase a conviction or require a new trial.
What Role Did Scientology Play in the Criminal Case?
Several accusers testified about their experiences as Scientologists and their reasons for not reporting the assaults to police sooner. Prosecutors argued that the women feared consequences within their religious community. The Church of Scientology has denied allegations that it obstructed reporting or improperly influenced the women.
The church was not the defendant in Masterson’s rape trial. The court proceedings concerned his personal criminal responsibility, although testimony about Scientology formed part of the evidence and later became an issue in his appeal.
Are There Separate Civil Lawsuits?
Yes. Masterson and Scientology-related organisations have also faced civil litigation alleging harassment and retaliation after women reported sexual assaults. Those claims are separate from his criminal convictions, and the allegations must be distinguished from facts established by a criminal jury.
In May 2026, a California appellate court allowed much of a related civil case to move forward while ordering two challenged allegations removed under the state’s anti-SLAPP law. That procedural decision did not establish civil liability or alter Masterson’s prison sentence.
Could Danny Masterson Be Released Before 2042?
A successful appeal or post-conviction petition could change the legal basis for his imprisonment, potentially leading to further proceedings or a new trial. A court may also deny those challenges, leaving his sentence in place. The existence of an appeal is not evidence that release is imminent.
Under the present judgment, the relevant publicly reported parole horizon is 2042, and even that date would represent a chance for review rather than guaranteed release. No announced decision has authorised Masterson to leave custody.
What Is the Latest Status of Danny Masterson’s Case?
As of October 12, 2026, Danny Masterson remains in prison serving 30 years to life for two forcible-rape convictions. California Men’s Colony is his latest widely reported place of incarceration. His direct appeal was argued in June 2026, while his separate habeas corpus challenge continues to form part of his post-conviction litigation. Neither has produced a confirmed reversal or release. The next important development will be a formal court ruling, not a speculative prison-release date.