A convicted serial rapist in California who was originally sentenced to 124 years in prison has been released after serving approximately 20 years behind bars. Many are outraged that the offender, who is the great-grandson of legendary cosmetics mogul Max Factor, was freed following his conviction for drugging and sexually assaulting multiple women.
According to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), Luster’s release followed standard procedures under Proposition 57, a voter-approved ballot measure. The CDCR stated that Luster received 977 days of pre-sentence credit and was eligible for additional credit-earning opportunities while incarcerated.
Court records indicate that investigators discovered video footage of Luster drugging and raping the victim as well as two other women during a search warrant execution at his residence in July 2000. This occurred after Luster was first arrested following an accusation from a college student.
Luster was apprehended in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, by bounty hunter Duane “Dog” Chapman in June 2003. Witnesses reported that Chapman’s crew used an aerosol spray and handcuffs to subdue the rapist and transported him in one of their vans.
Luster was convicted on 86 counts of rape and drug charges after a jury viewed videotapes he made of himself engaging in sexual acts with three women rendered unconscious by GHB, a “date-rape” drug. His initial sentence of 124 years was overturned in March 2013 when the judge was found to have improperly stacked prison terms without meeting California legal requirements. Luster was then resentenced to 50 years.
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko stated that releasing Luster would be a “grave injustice to the survivors and a threat to public safety.” Nasarenko noted that between 1996 and 2000, while in his early 30s, Luster preyed upon young women primarily at college bars by drugging them with GHB. In two of the attacks, Luster recorded his rape and sexual abuse of the victims. “Luster engaged in sadistic sexual abuse of their comatose bodies,” Nasarenko stated.
Ventura County Senior Deputy District Attorney Anthony Wold condemned the possibility of Luster’s release in a statement from 2025. The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office confirmed that Luster is scheduled to be released by October 31, 2026.
The city of Glendora, where Luster will reside after release, has expressed outrage. Mayor David Fredendall stated: “We are outraged.” He blamed the release on Proposition 57, which was approved in 2016 to expand parole eligibility and sentence reductions for eligible offenders. Fredendall noted that when voters approved Prop 57, they were assured by Governor Jerry Brown that dangerous offenders would remain incarcerated.
The CDCR emphasized that Prop 57 aims to enhance public safety through rehabilitation and prevent the revolving door of crime. However, Fredendall argued that technical explanations for Luster’s release do not address the larger concern: how an individual originally sentenced to 124 years for heinous crimes is able to walk out of prison after only 20 years.
Luster remains registered as a sex offender on California’s Megan’s Law website with a Glendora address and will be under supervised parole for three years. The city of Glendora has stated that Luster’s presence in the community poses a threat to public safety, especially near schools, parks, playgrounds, churches, and community centers.
The CDCR did not immediately provide additional details regarding Luster’s release date, sentencing calculations, or parole supervision requirements.
