Glendora mayor says he’s ‘outraged’ after serial rapist and Max Factor heir released on parole

The mayor of Glendora is speaking out after Andrew Luster, an heir to the Max Factor cosmetics fortune who was convicted in 2003 on 86 counts of drugging and raping three women, was released to parole supervision last week. “The City of Glendora is beyond disappointed. We are outraged,” Mayor David Fredendall said in a statement Friday. Fredendall said Luster, 62, was released from state prison after serving approximately 20 years and is now reportedly living in the community. NBC Los Angeles has not verified where exactly Luster is living. Luster, the great-grandson of Max Factor, was convicted in 2003 after his capture in Mexico by bounty hunter Duane “Dog” Chapman and returned to Southern California. He was originally handed a 124-year prison sentence, which a Ventura County Superior Court judge vacated in 2013 on the grounds that the trial judge “failed to state specific reasons for imposing full consecutive sentences.” Later that year, his sentence was reduced to 50 years, according to the Ventura County District Attorney’s office. Despite being denied early release on parole multiple times, former Senior Deputy District Attorney Tony Wold, who prosecuted the original case against Luster, said in October 2024 that “even if parole continues to be denied, Luster will be released from prison in approximately two years.” The district attorney’s office said at the time that Luster was scheduled to complete his sentence on Oct. 31 of this year. According to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, he was released on parole on Oct. 11 “after serving his full sentence as required by law.” “This is not an early release,” the CDCR said in a statement Sunday. “According to voter-approved propositions, determinate-sentenced incarcerated individuals may reduce their carceral time due to the earning of worktime and good conduct credits. In this case, Andrew Luster received 977 days of pre-sentence credit and was eligible for credit-earning opportunities while incarcerated.” Fredendall pointed to Proposition 57, approved in 2016, which allows early parole for nonviolent crimes and changed sentence credits and juvenile court decisions, as part of the reason for the release. “The State may argue that this was not technically an early release. It can point to sentencing credits, legal calculations, and administrative requirements,” Fredendall said. “However, those technical explanations do not address the larger concern: how an individual originally sentenced to 124 years in prison for heinous crimes is able to walk out of a secured facility after only 20 years.” Fredendall said the police department will work with state parole authorities to ensure supervision laws and conditions are met, as he demands answers from state lawmakers. “We expect transparency regarding the circumstances of this release, the conditions imposed, and the measures being taken to protect Glendora residents and surrounding communities,” he said. The mayor added that the community stands with the victims. “Their suffering should never be diminished by a system that fails to fully recognize the severity of the crimes committed against them,” Fredendall said. Ann Marie Schubert, former Sacramento County District Attorney and the CEO of the Criminal Justice Legal Foundation, said California law still treats Luster’s offenses as nonviolent despite repeated attempts to change the law. “The Legislature finally acted in 2024, but for Luster’s victims, it was too late,” Schubert said. “Now a serial rapist is walking free. These women were victimized by Luster and failed repeatedly by a justice system that was supposed to protect them. It’s an absolute travesty of justice. Also to be clear, the law passed was very narrow and did not include rape of an unconscious person.” State Assemblywoman Blanca E. Rubio, who represents the 48th District, also released a statement, saying she is “deeply disturbed” by Luster being released on parole. “This decision raises serious questions about California’s parole system, its accountability, and whether we are truly putting the safety of our communities and the rights of victims first,” her statement read, in part. NBCLA reached out to California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office for a response to Luster’s release.