District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Parole Board denied the release of inmate Andrew Stuart Luster (DOB: 12/15/63) after a senior prosecutor argued that the convicted rapist continues to represent a threat to public safety and should remain incarcerated in state prison.
“The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office believes advocating for victim’s rights doesn’t stop when a case is over,” said District Attorney Erik Nasarenko. “Our prosecutors will continue to participate in parole board hearings to keep dangerous criminals like Andrew Luster behind bars.”
Luster, a purported heir to the Max Factor make-up empire, was convicted in 2003 of 86 offenses, including rape of an unconscious person and poisoning. He fled the country during his trial and was later apprehended in Mexico by Duane “The Dog” Chapman, known as Dog the Bounty Hunter. Luster was sentenced to 124 years in prison. That sentence was cut to 50 years in 2013, a reduction in the sentence that Ventura County prosecutors vehemently challenged.
Under Prop 57, passed by California voters in 2016, the horrific crimes Luster was convicted of are now characterized as “non-violent.” These crimes include rape of an unconscious victim, rape of an intoxicated person, sodomy, sexual battery, and other sex crimes. Prop 57 allows inmates of these “non-violent” crimes to earn significant credits that allow for early release. Unfortunately, even with today’s parole denial, Luster will be released from prison in approximately four years.
“As a serial rapist who continues to deny responsibility for his crimes, Andrew Luster continues to present a threat to public safety,” said Senior Deputy District Attorney Anthony Wold, who prosecuted Luster during his trial and participated in today’s hearing. “We strongly believe he should serve his full sentence. His crimes were particularly dangerous, and he has yet to display any regret or remorse for his actions. He remains a dangerous sex predator.”
