Los Gatos Party Mom Gets 35 years, 10 months Maximum Sentence for Teen Abuse

A Santa Clara County Superior Court judge sentenced Shannon O'Connor, 52, to 35 years and 10 months in prison for hosting drunken parties for mostly 14- and 15-year-olds during 2020-2021. Prosecutors said she brought vodka and Fireball whiskey, provided condoms, and encouraged sexual acts, including situations where teens were too intoxicated to consent. Victims testified that she warned them not to tell parents or police and discouraged calling for help when a teen passed out in vomit. One victim reported becoming suicidal due to the trauma. O'Connor was convicted on dozens of felony and misdemeanor charges and has been in jail since her 2021 arrest.

"A Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge today sentenced a Los Gatos woman to 35 years and 10 months in prison, the maximum allowed, for hosting drunken parties for young teenagers where she bought alcohol and encouraged sex acts - some with teens too drunk to consent."

"Shannon O'Connor, 52, was convicted in March on dozens of felony and misdemeanor charges: for bringing vodka and Fireball whiskey, providing condoms and discouraging teens from telling their parents or police about the parties - or calling for help when one of the victims passed out in their own vomit. The teens at these parties were mostly 14- and 15-years old."

""Many people call this defendant the 'Los Gatos Party Mom,' he said. "This isn't some fun parent giving sips of wine spritzers to kids. She facilitated dangerous and drunken sex acts with these children. She risked their lives and damaged their psyches. She is not a party mom. Shannon O'Connor is a convicted felon. Shannon O'Connor is a registered sex offender.""

"According to prosecutors, the child abuse charges outline two years of O'Connor's drunken and destructive parties hosted for teens at her home. She warned the victims not to disclose the parties or she could go to jail. At one party, O'Connor handed an underaged teenager a condom and pushed him into a room with an intoxicated minor."

Read at San Jose Inside