Bay Area mom accused in teen sex parties rejects 17-year sentence plea offer, case will proceed

Wednesday, May 17, 2023

Bay Area mom accused in teen sex parties rejects plea offer

Shannon O'Connor, accused of throwing drunken sex parties for her son and other teens, could now face three years more than the 17-year deal she turned down.

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- The court case of Shannon O'Connor will head to a preliminary hearing after she refused to accept an indicated sentence from a judge Tuesday.

O'Connor is accused of throwing parties in which she would encourage teenagers to drink and perform sexual acts at parties thrown for her son at her Los Gatos home.

Judge Elizabeth Peterson indicated a sentence of 17 years and four months for O'Connor if she pled guilty to all charges and registered as a sex offender. But Tuesday, her team announced she would not be accepting the sentence and this case will go to a preliminary hearing.

Victims say Shannon O'Connor, a Los Gatos mom accused in drunken teen sex party scandal is "deceitful," "sick" and a "dangerous predator."

"Given the conduct in this case took place over the course of nine months and the defendant took extensive action to try and hide what she was doing from law enforcement, from parents, for quite some time, I am not surprised this is proceeding to preliminary hearing," Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Rebekah Wise said.

If this case goes to trial, O'Connor faces a maximum penalty of 20 years and four months for her accused actions - three years more than the deal she turned down Tuesday.

"Now that the defendant has declined to take that offer, they are not just looking forward to going to the preliminary hearing, speaking the truth for the court and keeping the case moving forward so they can continue healing," Wise said.

O'Connor's lawyer did not speak Tuesday, but the Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney assigned to the case, Rebekah Wise, told ABC7 News the DA's office has not provided any offer or deal of their own in this case.

The Los Gatos mom accused of throwing secret drunken sex parties for teenagers is back in the Bay Area. She arrived at the San Jose airport Tuesday.

The DA's office will file preliminary motions to be heard by the judge on August 17, before trial, in an effort of keeping the case moving smoothly when witnesses and victims take the stand.

"The conduct we have in this was an egregious series of events that was an abuse of children and it was extreme," Wise said. "The defendant was extreme in her actions. So, our goal is to get justice for the victims and for the community and it has always been that. Whether that happens on a shortened timeline or on a longer timeline, it does not matter to me as long as were able to get justice for the community."

Testimonies in court will begin on August 21 at 9 a.m.