10 Celebrities Who Received Life Sentences

10 Celebrities Who Received Prison Life Sentences

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at 10 celebrities who were convicted of crimes that put them away for life.

Danny Masterson

If you’re a fan of “That ‘70s Show,” “The Ranch,” or “Men at Work,” you will easily recognize Danny Masterson. His acting career ended entirely in 2023, when he was convicted of abhorrent assault on two women in 2003. It took two decades to prosecute him, with several witnesses claiming that they were threatened by the Church of Scientology to protect a prominent member. His heinous crimes got him a sentence of 30 years to life in prison. So, in theory, he could be out in about 25 years, but it’s unlikely. His lawyers have been trying hard to appeal the sentencing, but this has not been successful so far.

Dennis Da Silva

This now-lesser-known celebrity began his career as a child star in the ‘80s. Dennis Da Silva’s earliest work was on the variety series “That’s Entertainment” in 1986. He was also the star of “Captain Barbell” and “Ninja Kids Phantom Force.” His career ended entirely in 2002, when he was arrested for a plethora of abuse crimes. After 17 years in jail, he was given a life sentence in 2020 and was forced to hand over 4.5 million pesos for his misdeeds. He was told he had 15 days to appeal their decision, but it seems he’s still locked away, since we last heard.

War Machine

It shouldn’t be a surprise that a man nicknamed War Machine is a convicted felon. Jonathan Koppenhaver became a famous MMA fighter, eventually getting a 14-5 record. War Machine eventually also started making adult movies in about 2009. In 2017, he was revealed to be as horrible as his moniker implied. He was convicted of 29 felony counts, with many of his crimes directed towards his ex-girlfriend, Christy Mack, in 2014. This earned him a life sentence in June 2017. There’s a chance he could get parole in 36 years, but he’d be an old man by that point; and we don’t expect War Machine to be a model prisoner.

Kaalan Walker

Our next entry had an exceptionally short-lived acting career. Kaalan Walker’s first role was in the 2017 movie “Kings,” in which he acted opposite Halle Berry and Daniel Craig. He had two more acting roles in 2018, but in September of that year, he was arrested in Los Angeles. Turns out, he had been promising models work on social media, but this was a front for his nefarious intentions. This abuse earned him a 50-years-to-life prison sentence. He was only about 23 when arrested, so his crimes have cost him the majority of his life.

Rashid Byrd

If you’re an NBA fan, there’s a chance you have encountered Rashid Byrd. He was a player for the Los Angeles D-Fenders towards the end of the 2000s, and had a brief appearance in the 2008 movie “Semi-Pro.” Well, in 2019, an investigation began after multiple women accused him of assault. Turned out, he’d already been arrested twice for similar crimes, once in 2005 and again in 2010. By September 2020, he’d been arrested, and was eventually sentenced to 90 years to life in prison. So, in a best-case scenario for him, he won’t be free until he’s well over a hundred years old.

Dennis Roldan

Our next entry has a long and varied career. Dennis Roldan played in the Philippine Basketball Association, then started acting in the ‘80s. He even won Best Supporting Actor at the Metro Manila Film Festival. In the late ‘80s, he got into politics and became a congressman in Quezon City. His career ended in 2005, when he kidnapped a young boy in Pasig City 2005. He was hoping to ransom the child, but the police managed to rescue him. After years on trial, in 2014, Roldan was found guilty, and is now serving a life sentence. At the time, he had begun starring in a drama called “My Destiny,” so the writers had to kill off his character.

Ra Diggs

During the 2000s, Ra Diggs had gotten himself into a lot of trouble with law enforcement for various crimes and shootings. In 2010, the rapper began posting music videos on the YouTube channel Vangodent, with his track “Eulogy” garnering over a million views. Later that year, he was arrested, and police found weaponry in his vehicle. By 2014, he’d been convicted of a plethora of crimes. In court, evidence given included his YouTube videos, where he confidently recounted his criminal deeds. The trial earned him 12 life sentences and an extra 105 years in prison, as if that wasn’t long enough already.

Joe Son

Our next criminal is best known for his role in “Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery,” where he played the Korean assassin Random Task. Joe Son’s also famous for his competitive martial arts skills. In 1994, he was famously defeated in UFC 4 by being repeatedly hit in the groin. Now, such moves are illegal in the sport. In 2008, he was arrested on suspicion of being involved in a disgusting 1990 assault. Three years later, he was found guilty and sentenced to seven years to life in prison. His chances of ever being free again were dashed in 2011, when he was convicted of voluntary manslaughter after killing his cellmate.

Michael Jace

This actor earned stardom from the lead role of Julien Lowe on the FX series “The Shield.” He also played a Black Panther in the wildly popular movie “Forrest Gump.” Well, Michael Jace’s acting career ended with his freedom in 2014. He murdered his wife, champion athlete April Jace, in front of their children. After that, he called the police and confessed. In 2016, Jace was sentenced to 40 years to life for the crime. It’s unclear why he committed the crime, with the claim being that he only wanted to injure.

Ryan Grantham

In the late 2000s, Ryan Grantham became a child actor and ended up getting a bunch of roles. He scored the coveted role of Rodney James, the kid who plays the shrub in a school play in “Diary of a Wimpy Kid.” Grantham was also in “Supernatural,” “iZombie,” and “Riverdale.” The latter turned out to be his final role, as in 2020, he was arrested for matricide. He was in custody for two years, before being charged with first-degree murder. Grantham had gone as far as to record his mother's body and confess on-camera, thus earning a life sentence.

Did you know about these celebrities’ crimes already, or did you learn something new? Let us know in the comments below!