{"id":383,"date":"2026-05-29T18:33:36","date_gmt":"2026-05-29T18:33:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sanfranciscomovingguide.com\/?p=383"},"modified":"2026-05-29T18:33:36","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T18:33:36","slug":"i-still-find-myself-crying-victims-speak-out-los-gatos-party-mom-sentenced","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sanfranciscomovingguide.com\/?p=383","title":{"rendered":"‘I still find myself crying’: Victims speak out, Los Gatos ‘party mom’ sentenced"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A 52-year-old woman known as the\u00a0Los Gatos \u201cparty mom\u201d will serve 35 years in prison after she was found guilty of hosting drunken parties for teenagers and encouraging sexual acts.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>

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The mother, Shannon O\u2019Connor, was convicted of 47 charges, including two felony sex charges, after a three-month trial and several years of legal proceedings. After multiple victims presented statements in the three-day hearing, O\u2019Connor received the maximum sentence of 35 years and 10 months,\u00a0CBS News reported.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>

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\u201cI listened to the testimony of several victims and their parents and heard these words and phrases over and over again,\u201d Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen said in court, according to the news outlet. \u201c\u2026Predator, manipulated, groomed, hypersexualized, violated, betrayed, traumatized, isolated, intimidated, harassed.\u201d<\/p><\/div>

O\u2019Connor also spoke to the victims for the first time in court Thursday,\u00a0KTVU-TV reported, saying she is sorry for what she put them through.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>

\u201cMy actions are the cause of your pain, and I\u2019m ashamed, and I face everyday knowing I was the cause of so many people\u2019s anguish. I want you to know I live every day wishing I could take everything back and go back in time and take it all back,\u201d she said. \u201cI am responsible for the harmful siting that I put your daughters and sons through. There really no words to express how sorry I am, but not for me, for all of you.\u201d<\/p><\/div>

During the hearing, many of the victims tearfully read their experiences and spoke to O\u2019Connor directly. One victim, identified as Jane Doe 12, said she still does not feel completely healed from O\u2019Connor\u2019s actions, KGO-TV reported.<\/p><\/div>

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\u201c\u2026I still find myself crying myself to sleep over the way that you took complete advantage of me,\u201d the victim said.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>

Multiple victims said O\u2019Connor instigated sexual behavior among the teens and it traumatized them into their adult life, KTVU reported. A victim identified as Rylan Doe said that he will never forgive O\u2019Connor. He said he was 11 years old when he met her and got drunk for the first time.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>

One woman identified as Scarlet, who is now in college, said O\u2019Connor encouraged her to \u201csatisfy a man\u2019s needs\u201d with sexual acts at a young age. Scarlet said by 14 years old, she wanted to avoid sexual activity, the news outlet reported.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>

\u201cAs an adult I can\u2019t enjoy the sexual aspects of dating,\u201d Scarlet\u00a0said. \u201cWhen someone touches me, I feel violated and then I feel guilty.\u201d<\/p><\/div>

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Some family members of the victims also spoke during the hearing, including one of the victim\u2019s mother, who called O\u2019Connor \u201ca monster,\u201d KRON-TV reported. The mother said the O\u2019Connor \u201cpreyed upon\u201d her daughter by giving the teenagers alcohol and encouraging sexual acts.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>

\u201cYou chose to be nothing but demonic,\u201d the mother said.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>

The alcohol-fueled parties started around June 2020, when O\u2019Connor would host summer hangouts for her son, who was a minor at the time, Santa Clara County District Attorney Investigator Christina Hanks said in a \u201cstatement of facts\u201d document. In many of the instances, the mother would supply \u201cexcessive amounts of alcohol\u201d to her son and his friends, including beer, vodka and whiskey, which would cause them to vomit and become unconscious.<\/p><\/div>

Hanks said O\u2019Connor hid the parties from her husband and communicated with the teens in a Snapchat group chat, where she told them not to tell anyone about the parties. Prosecutors said there were even some cases where O\u2019Connor threatened the teens who she believed were telling people about the parties.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>

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For example, in August 2020, O\u2019Connor believed one of the minors was telling people about the parties and she reacted by threatening to spread rumors about them, court documents show. Because of the threats, the teen suffered \u201cmental and emotional turmoil,\u201d including panic attacks, and she had to sleep in her parents\u2019 bedroom.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>

During some of the drunken parties, prosecutors said O\u2019Connor also played a part in some instances of sexual assault and harassment.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>

In December 2020, prosecutors said O\u2019Connor gave a boy a condom and pushed him in a room with an intoxicated girl. The girl was afraid and locked herself in a bathroom, according to court documents. Later that day, during that same party, the girl was sexually assaulted.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>

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