Actor Danny Masterson has officially begun his 30-year prison sentence, months after he was convicted on multiple rape charges.
KABC-TV reported that Masterson was checked in at North Kern State Prison in Delano, California, on Wednesday, according to state officials.
The 47-year-old, who was convicted on two counts of forcible rape in May, will now go through the inmate reception process that will determine in what level of security he will be housed.
Masterson, who is best known for his role on “That 70s Show,” was released on Wednesday.
Masterson, who is a committed Scientologist, had been held at Los Angeles County jail in the months since his conviction as post-sentencing hearings and various other legal issues were resolved.
Adding to the controversy of the case was the decision by his former “That 70s Show” co-stars, Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis, to write letters seeking leniency for Masterson on the grounds that he did not pose a threat to the wider public.
“I do not believe he is an ongoing harm to society,” Kutcher wrote in one of the letters.
Meanwhile, Kunis spoke of his “exceptional character and the tremendous positive influence he has had on me and the people around him.”
The couple, who are married, later apologized in a video posted on social media to clarify the “letters were not written to question the legitimacy of the judicial system or the validity of the jury’s ruling.”
Other co-stars, including Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp, also wrote letters to Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo of Los Angeles Superior Court asking for leniency.
However, their pleas seemingly fell on deaf ears, as Masterson was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison.
Masterson is currently appealing his conviction. He will become eligible for parole after 25 years.
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