"Today's ruling confirms what the parents and victims in the Los Gatos Community came to know all too well - that Shannon O'Connor put herself in a position of trust over the well-being of kids, and she abused that trust. Ms. O'Connor's planned actions took advantage of the vulnerability of the innocent she drew to her home over years."
"The fact that there's so many counts against her and this went on for such a long period of time, she's going to be treated quite harshly than if this was just a one-off type of scenario where a party went out of control. That's why the judge made the decision she did on the aggravating factors."
"Even though Ms. O'Connor was not the one that committed the offense, the fact that she engaged a minor to commit that offense was a significant factor for the court."
Shannon O'Connor, a Los Gatos mother, was found guilty on dozens of charges including 16 felony counts of child endangerment, witness dissuasion, and abetting sexual penetration between underage teens. A judge ruled that aggravating factors warrant maximum penalties for her convictions. The identified aggravating factors include the vulnerability of teenage victims, the planned and sophisticated nature of her crimes, her abuse of a position of trust, and her persuasion of minors to commit illegal acts. Legal analysts note that the extended duration and numerous counts make her case particularly severe, resulting in harsher treatment than isolated incidents would receive.
Read at ABC7 San Francisco
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