Per Variety, a Los Angeles judge has ruled to allow the current rape case against That 70's Show’s Danny Masterson to move forward in court after the actor’s defense attempted to have the charges tossed out, claiming that the accusations were too old. Though Masterson was not in court on Monday, Judge Eleanor Hunter rejected a defense from his attorneys Thomas Mesereau and Sharon Appelbaum, who argued that the rape accusations—multiple incidences that would have occurred beginning in 2001—occur outside of the statute of limitations. Because this case falls under California’s one-strike sex offense laws, according to the prosecution, there is no statute of limitations.
Masterson was arrested back in June for three counts of rape. The initial claims that led the arrest (as well as more women coming forward with their own stories of sexual abuse) were made three years prior with very few developments from law enforcement. In response to the accusations, Netflix fired Masterson from his comedy series The Ranch. The three women also sued both Masterson and the Church Of Scientology, alleging that they had been stalked and intimidated after filing the complaint with the police. Though currently free on $3.3 million bail, Masterson faces up to 45 years in prison, if convicted. He is set for arraignment November 2 and has not entered a plea as of yet.