Danny Masterson’s recent transfer to Corcoran State Prison took some by surprise when it was first revealed. The prison, long considered one of California’s most notorious, is home to dozens of death row inmates, as well as hundreds of additional murderers and many of the state’s most hardened inmates. It turns out the former That 70s Show star won’t be a long-term resident there, however, as he was transferred again just weeks after arriving, apparently for his own safety.
Deadline spoke to a source in the California Prisons, who said Masterson had to be transferred for his “well-being.” The outlet claims his stay lasted barely over two weeks before he was abruptly moved to The Men’s Colony, where he’s currently staying according to California Prison records. The facility is a medium to low security prison in San Luis Obispo that’s widely considered to be more relaxed than Corcoran and has a wide variety of activities and classes the inmates are allowed to take.
Over the years, it has previously housed high profile inmates like Suge Knight, Ike Turner and Timothy Leary. It has a capacity of almost 4,000 inmates and has separate dormitories with varying levels of security. It’s unclear which Masterson is serving time in.
It’s been a hectic half year or so for the actor, who was sentenced to prison back in September after being convicted of two counts of rape. His initial transfer was to North Kern State Prison from DTLA, where he went through all the entry procedures, during which Masterson only got one phone call a month and didn’t have access to his personal belongings.
Following that probationary period, he was moved to Corcoran State Prison, which is probably most famous for being the longtime home of Charles Manson, the infamous leader of the Manson Family who was convicted of murdering Hollywood starlet Sharon Tate, among several others.
Danny Masterson’s lawyers have been very vocal about filing an appeal and their confidence his convictions will eventually be overturned. Their motion to keep Masterson at home until those proceedings were finished was denied by a judge, but they’ve continually expressed confidence they will eventually secure his release. Unless something changes, he’s not currently eligible for parole until June 2042, though he can begin the process formally with consultations in 2038.
There are currently other legal problems Masterson is facing, as well, however. His longtime wife Bijou Phillips filed for divorce after his conviction, and he’s currently a co-defendant in a civil lawsuit that’s targeting The Church Of Scientology, as well as him, for allegedly conspiring to intimidate the victims and cover up the rapes he was convicted for. Those allegations include everything from spying to murdering a dog. It’ll likely take years for all those proceedings to play out. Whether or not Masterson will still be housed at The Men’s Colony or this will prove yet another brief stop in his journey when that happens is unclear.
