Luster’s sentence reduced by nearly 75 years

At a rare re-sentencing hearing brought on by a writ of habeous corpus, the great-grandson of makeup legend Max Factor learned his fate Tuesday.

Before the sentencing Judge Kathryne Ann Stoltz listened to pleas from Andrew Luster’s mother Elizabeth, daughter Quinn and son Conner.

They all said they wanted Luster to return to their family.

Luster also spoke from his seat where his legs were chained together.

Luster thanked the court and said he would never act recklessly as long as he lived. He said, “I did some really stupid things without thinking. It caused so much damage to so many people.”

With camera’s barred from the courtroom Judge Stoltz reduced Luster’s 124- year rape sentence to 50 years.

The judge broke it down saying Luster received 17 years for the GHB drugging and raping of a 17-year-old girl he picked up at a bar on State Street in Santa Barbara, plus another 12 and 18 years for the videotaped rapes of two other intoxicated and unconscious women at his Mussel Shoals beach home, north of Ventura.

Dog “The Bounty Hunter” Chapman and his wife watched the sentencing.

Chapman caught Luster at a bar in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, five months after he fled before his January 2003 sentencing.

Stoltz went over every count in the courtroom. She said she took into account a hit list written in Luster’s Mexico journal. It included the hometowns of his victims. Stoltz also said she watched the videos that showed Luster penetrating the women with the back of a smoking marijuana joint, a candle and a plastic sword. Every time Luster got up to change the camera angle, the lighting or the music, he had an opportunity to stop the crimes.

Prosecutors initially charged him with 87 sex and drug counts.
The judge sentenced Luster consecutively for every count involving an intoxicated women, but not for every count involving an unconscious woman. That reduced much of the original sentence.

During her review of the case, Judge Stoltz said she learned a wallet found in Luster’s home belonged to a women who had refused his advanced. The judge said Luster pushed the women up against a van. The judge, who read countless letters on Luster’s behalf, said that was not the behavior of a gentlemen or a ladies’ man.

Deputy District Attorney Michelle Contois said, “These are serious crimes any objective person would understand that rape is rape. The victims were endangered by GHB.”

Prosecutors said the promiscuity of the victims was not a defense.

Contois explained that Luster must serve at least half his 50-year sentence.

Since he has already served ten years, he could be eligible for parole in 15.

When Luster, 49, gets out of prison, he will have to register as a sex offender.

Luster has 60 days to appeal his new sentence.