Actor Danny Masterson has been transferred from a maximum security prison in California that once held cult leader Charles Manson amid safety concerns, according to reports.
The "That '70s Show" star, 47, was moved from the Corcoran State Prison in Central California to the California Men's Colony, a male-only state prison located in San Luis Obispo, California, USA Today reported.
A representative for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation confirmed the move in a statement to the outlet Monday, saying that Masterson was transferred to the new facility on Feb. 16. The CDCR added that "by law" they "cannot disclose information about reasons for transfers or detailed housing information."
However, according to Deadline, the move is due to concerns for "the inmate’s well-being," as revealed by an unnamed source.
According to the CDCR, there are two complexes within the minimum and medium security prison. The facility provides a range of educational and self-improvement programs, such as cognitive behavior therapy, substance abuse education, criminal thinking, anger management, and family relationship courses.
In January, it emerged that Masterson had been moved to the Corcoran State Prison, where he was expected to serve the bulk of his 30-years-to-life sentence, according to The Wrap.
Masterson, found guilty in May by a Los Angeles jury of raping two women in the 2000s, initially served time in an LA County lockup and then in the North Kern state prison intake facility. He was later transferred to Corcoran, located approximately halfway between Bakersfield and Sacramento.
According to prison records, Masterson, who is the father of a pre-teen girl with Bijou Phillips, will become eligible for parole in 2042 when he turns 66.
The news came days shortly after a Los Angeles Superior Court judge denied bail for Masterson pending appeal, citing concerns about the actor potentially fleeing.
"If defendant's conviction and sentence are upheld on appeal, he will likely remain in custody for decades and perhaps the rest of his life," wrote Judge Charlaine Olmedo in an order, as cited by Deadline.
"In light of the fact that defendant has no wife to go home to, defendant now has every incentive to flee and little reason to return to state prison to serve out the remainder of his lengthy sentence should his appeal be unsuccessful," the judge added.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.