Actor Danny Masterson, best known for his role as Steven Hyde on the hit sitcom “That '70s Show”, has been transferred to a minimum security prison in California, according to correctional records.
Masterson, who was convicted of raping two women in 2023, was previously incarcerated at Corcoran State Prison, a maximum security facility that once housed notorious cult leader Charles Manson. He only spent a few weeks there before being moved to the California Men’s Colony in San Luis Obispo on February 16, 2024.
The reason for the transfer is unclear, but some sources have suggested that it was due to concerns for Masterson’s well-being at the harsher prison. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) said that it cannot disclose information about reasons for transfers or detailed housing information.
The California Men’s Colony is a medium and minimum security prison that offers various educational and self-improvement programs to the inmates, including inmate firefighters who work with Cal-Fire to fight wildfires and respond to natural disasters. The prison also has a mental health ward and a correctional treatment center.
Masterson, 47, was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison after a jury found him guilty of raping two women in 2001 and 2003. A third charge was dismissed due to a hung jury. Masterson has maintained his innocence and appealed his conviction, claiming that he was a victim of a “religious war” waged by the Church of Scientology, which he left in 2019.
Masterson’s estranged wife, actress Bijou Phillips, filed for divorce a week after his sentencing. The couple had been married since 2011 and have a daughter together. Phillips had previously supported Masterson throughout his trial and accused the prosecution of bias and misconduct.
