SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON) — The Los Gatos “party mom” kept her head down in court Thursday as her ex-husband accused her of being a “menace to society” and urged a judge to keep her locked in jail.
Thursday marked Shannon O’Connor’s third failed attempt to convince Santa Clara County Judge Johnny Gogo that she deserves bail under California law, is not a flight risk, and will not victimize any more teenagers.
“I know her. I know what she is capable of. Shannon O’Connor is a menace to society. She has the financial means and arrogance to break the law again,” her ex-husband said in court.
The 47-year-old woman is accused of throwing alcohol-fueled sex parties for underage Los Gatos High School students. According to the District Attorney’s Office, O’Connor secretly organized “disturbing” and dangerous parties inside her $4.6 million Los Gatos mansion between 2020-2021.
Judge Gogo told O’Connor that, based off evidence uncovered by prosecutors, she is a manipulative liar.
“This is a very extraordinary case,” Gogo said.
Gogo gave five reasons for why he denied granting bail Thursday.
“We have many minor victims. Miss O’Connor was very much aware that if her actions came to light it could result in her spending time in jail. She knew she was engaging in criminal behavior. The manipulation and lies to the parents of Jane Does and John Does, to law enforcement, to high school officials,” Gogo said.
“There is no reason to believe that the defendant would respect any protective order that the court imposed. These are serious and violent acts against children including sexual assault,” Gogo said.
Gogo said considers O’Connor a flight risk and a threat to public safety.
O’Connor was handcuffed by deputies and taken back into custody following the 2-hour-long hearing.
District Attorney Jeff Rosen charged the mother of two with 39 criminal counts, including felony child endangerment and sexual battery.
O’Connor has not entered a plea.
O’Connor pressured teenagers to binge drink and engage in sex acts with each other at her secret parties, according to prosecutors. Some of the female victims told investigators that they were forced into non-consensual sex while extremely intoxicated.
Some of the parties also took place in Santa Cruz and Lake Tahoe vacation rentals, prosecutors said.
Most of the boys involved in the case played on the high school’s football team with O’Connor’s son. Prosecutors said O’Connor met students, mostly freshmen and sophomores, through her 15-year-old son and communicated with the Snapchat app.
Prosecutors said she is a flight risk because she recently sold her Los Gatos mansion for more than $4 million.
Judge Gogo issued protective orders for 15 teenagers who were allegedly victims.
Even after O’Connor was arrested in October and booked into jail, she continued trying to manipulate young victims, Deputy District Attorney Rebekah Wise said.
O’Connor made a phone call from jail that was recorded. O’Connor called her son and instructed him to not cooperate with investigators, Wise said.
Her 13-year-old son is currently living with O’Connor’s husband, Robert Amaral, and her 15-year-old son is living with O’Connor’s ex-husband in Texas.
“We need to keep things in perspective and cut through the emotion,” defense attorney Brian Madden told the judge Thursday. “She is entitled to bail under the California Constitution.”
Madden said if O’Connor was released from jail, she would comply with any court-imposed conditions.
“And I mean any,” Madden emphasized.
Madden said an electronic ankle monitor could prevent O’Connor from going anywhere near the alleged victims. The judge disagreed.
O’Connor’s ex-husband was not the only person who stood up in the courtroom gallery to speak.
One girl stood just three feet behind O’Connor and said, “I am Jane Doe 6.”
Jane Doe 6 described O’Connor as a predator. “It is clear what she is capable of,” she said.
Jane Doe 6’s mother also spoke in court. “Shannon has no idea who I am. But she certainly knows who my daughter is. My daughter went to her house two dozen times. (O’Connor) is a child predator and a master manipulator. Look at the children in this room. She has a type: Athletic and attractive.”
Jane Doe 6’s mother said O’Connor wanted teenagers to think of her as “the fun mom” so she could groom victims.
“She seeks to maintain control. She does this through manipulation and fear. Children are kept in fear, secrecy, and silence,” Jane Doe 6’s mother said.
She said O’Connor has shown “zero remorse” for what happened.
O’Connor’s next court date is scheduled for April 11.
