Next week, Shannon O’Connor, the Los Gatos mother currently detained on 39 charges including child endangerment and sexual battery, will officially hear what her punishment would be if she pled guilty to all those crimes.
A parent the Los Gatan is not naming to protect the identity of her child—who she says was victimized by O’Connor—told the newspaper the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office shared with families that the offer is being set at 17 years and four months (including registering as a sex offender for 10 years).
“I think we were all hoping for it to be as lengthy as possible,” the mother said, referring to the potential sentence which could’ve been as high as 20 years. “We don’t know if she will accept it or not.”
O’Connor’s case grabbed headlines around the country after authorities accused her of throwing alcohol-fueled parties for teens, where sexual assault occurred, and terrorizing minors via social media.
She’s denied all charges.
Prosecutors declined to reveal the details of the judge’s offer, when asked about discussions.
But the mother who spoke to the Los Gatan said she hopes O’Connor agrees to the approximately 17 years, as that would mean victims wouldn’t have to testify anymore.
“We’re hoping that she accepts and these kids don’t have to go to court,” the parent said, adding this would likely allow victims to complete college while O’Connor remains behind bars. “We want her to do as much time as possible.”
However, O’Connor could reject the offer and take her chances at trial.
Submissions from the defense were filed under seal at the last hearing.
The prosecution provided the court with private documents, too.
However, the public Statement of Facts it submitted, April 20, appears to shine a light on the thinking behind O’Connor’s behavior.
In addition to fleshing out some of the circumstances around the charges, internet searches found on her phone described in the document hint at what was going through O’Connor’s mind as events unfolded.
Google requests included queries such as “Good books with young sex,” “hot 16 tear old teenage girls [sic]” and “prettiest 16 year old girl.”
One video reportedly discovered on her phone was of a blonde girl, apparently around 15 or 16, talking about her physical appearance.
It was unclear whether this was someone O’Connor knew or a video she downloaded from a social media platform like TikTok.
Prosecutors believe other Google searches highlight what O’Connor was thinking on the December 2020 day when she ordered alcohol for minors and allowed one girl (without a license) to drive her SUV with two boys hanging off the back—causing one to fall off and hit his head, knocking him unconscious.
The DA’s Office submitted body cam footage of a Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department officer coming up to O’Connor at 7-Eleven that day, a situation she managed to talk her way out of.
Google searches that appear related to that incident include “what to do for a concussion in a teenager,” “fell hard on my head and have a big bruise and vomiting.,” “Can a concussion cause eye problems?,” and “Cracked skull.”
O’Connor provided alcohol to one minor on multiple occasions, even though she knew he had Crohn’s disease, prosecutors say.
The phone records show she searched, “drank too much with crones,” “what do I do if I drank too much with crones,” and “alcohol with crohn’s disease.”
Around the time O’Connor was prohibited from talking to two girls by their parents, she was reportedly looking up, “can u fake calling someone from someone epses phont number [sic],” “send anonymous text,” “my friend changed her phone number how do I find out what it is” and “can u disguise a number thet is beijg forwarded [sic].”
As police started looking into her conduct, O’Connor moved to Idaho, where she was eventually arrested and extradited back to California.
Investigators ultimately found evidence that suggests she was fleeing, not just coincidentally exploring a new life path.
That came in the form of Google searches like, “check to see if warrant for arrest,” “supplying alcohol to minors in a private home,” “can I get prosecuted in California if I live in Idaho,” “what hapoens adter the pooice have come out [sic],” “general neglect,” and “Idaho statute of limitations CRIMINAL.”
O’Connor still has several other pending legal matters in Santa Clara County courts, including a defamation action where she’s accused of helping spread rumors about a minor boy being a “rapist,” a family law case in which her ex-husband is seeking $120,000 to cover legal fees, and a white-collar crime proceeding where Aruba Networks says she stole at least $129,290 while working as an administrative assistant.
Whether O’Connor, who national media outlets have dubbed “Party Mom,” decides to accept the 17-year sentence or not, the parent who spoke with the Los Gatan says she hopes the case will serve as a lesson to society about how to react when dangerous people enter the picture.
“Parents and communities need to be awake,” she said. “And they need to take action when they sense something isn’t right.”
