Convicted rapist and heir to cosmetics fortune Andrew Luster eligible for early release next week
VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. – On Thursday, Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced that his office will continue to oppose the early release of Andrew Stuart Luster who was convicted of the drugging and raping of three people at his Ventura County home in 2003.
Luster -who is the adopted great-grandson of Max Factor Sr. and heir to the Max Factor Cosmetics fortune- is scheduled to appear for a parole hearing on April 29 where Senior Deputy District Attorney Anthony Wold who originally prosecuted the case will join survivors during the proceedings stated the Ventura County District Attorney's Office in a press release Thursday.
"By drugging his victims into a coma-like state, Andrew Luster played Russian roulette with the lives of his victims so he could abuse their comatose bodies," said Senior Deputy District Attorney Wold. "Even now, he attempts to rewrite the history of his heinous crimes to falsely mitigate his culpability to gain early release. He remains a highly dangerous sexual predator. We continue to maintain he should serve his full sentence. He’s earned it."
In 2003, Luster was convicted of 86 felony counts including: poisoning, rape, sodomy, and oral copulation of unconscious victims explained the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
Luster was convicted of using gamma-hydroxybutyrate -also known as GHB or the date rape drug- to render victims unconscious and then sexually abusing them detailed the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
In two of his sexual assaults, Luster recorded his rape and sexual abuse noted the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
Luster was originally sentenced to 124 years in prison in absentia after he fled to Mexico during a holiday recess in his trial in December of 2002 and he was eventually captured by bounty hunter Duane 'The Dog' Chapman detailed the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
According to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, Luster had his sentence reduced to 50 years in 2013 over the objection of prosecutors at the time.
"We will continue to strenuously oppose any early release from state prison," stated Ventura County District Attorney Nasarenko Thursday. "Luster’s statements to the parole board demonstrate that he remains unremorseful for his crimes and unworthy of parole."
In August of 2024, a two-person California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Board granted an early release on parole over the objection of all three survivors who spoke during the hearing shared the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
That decision was eventually reversed during a full Parol Board hearing later in 2024.
Luster's current sentence is set to end on Oct. 31, 2026, noted the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
