Actor Danny Masterson, perhaps best known for his role as Steven Hyde on That ’70s Show, has been charged with raping three women between 2001 and 2003, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office.
Masterson, 44, is charged with three counts of rape by force or fear, and he faces a maximum sentence of 45 years to life in prison if he’s convicted. His bail was set at $3.3 million, and he’s scheduled to be arraigned on Sept. 18.
The actor was fired from Netflix’s The Ranch in 2017 after allegations about him raping four women surfaced. (The district attorney’s office said they declined to file charges against Masterson in two other sexual assault cases because one lacked sufficient evidence and the other exceeded the statute of limitations.)
In 2017, a Village Voice article reported three of the women’s claims that they had been pressured by the Church of Scientology to keep quiet about their allegations. (Masterson is a Scientologist.)
Masterson’s lawyer, Tom Mesereau, issued a statement claiming he’s innocent and noting that Masterson and his wife are in “complete shock” that these “nearly 20-year-old allegations” have resulted in criminal charges.
“The people who know Mr. Masterson know his character and know the allegations to be false,” the statement said.
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