The recent release of a notorious serial rapist who drugged and assaulted young women during the late 1990s has stirred deep outrage among residents in San Gabriel Valley, where the offender, an heir to a cosmetics fortune, now resides.
Andrew Stuart Luster, the great-grandson of Max Factor, was convicted in 2003 on 86 counts that included poisoning, rape, and sodomy of unconscious victims. The trial revealed harrowing evidence, including videos he recorded while committing these crimes using GHB, commonly known as the date-rape drug.
Community Concerns and Official Reactions
Mayor David Fredendall of Glendora expressed the community’s anger in a recent statement. He attributed Luster’s release to California laws that facilitate earlier releases for those convicted of nonviolent felonies, asserting, “The people of Glendora should not have to worry about their safety because of a decision by the state. They deserve better than explanations that hide behind the mechanics of a deeply flawed system.”
Luster gained media attention when he fled to Mexico in 2003 after posting a $1 million bail. He was later apprehended in Puerto Vallarta by American bounty hunter Duane “Dog” Chapman.
At 62 years old, Luster was released on October 11 after serving his sentence, which included 977 days credited for good behavior and work time. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation clarified that this was not an early release, given that Luster’s crimes qualify as nonviolent under current legal definitions.
Legal Background and Ongoing Controversy
Typically, individuals convicted of nonviolent felonies must serve at least half of their sentence. Luster was sentenced to 124 years in 2003, but this was later reduced to 50 years in 2013. After serving about 25 years, including time spent under house arrest and in pretrial custody, he became eligible for early parole.
Despite the objections of his victims, who voiced their concerns during hearings, a corrections board considered granting parole. The Ventura County District Attorney’s office expressed its intentions to oppose any early release. However, they also acknowledged that due to the reduction of Luster’s sentence, his eventual release was imminent.
The judge who reduced Luster’s original sentence cited Luster’s lengthy punishment as a factor for reconsideration, indicating skepticism about the defense’s arguments but acknowledging the need for adjustments. Notably, she described the tapes shown during the trial as disturbing, highlighting the distressing nature of the victims’ appearances.
Proposition 57, passed by voters in 2016, aimed to alleviate overcrowding in California prisons and reformed many aspects of how parole is granted for nonviolent offenders. Such changes have increasingly shifted the landscape of corrections in the state, leading to further scrutiny over cases like Luster’s.
