Victims of a California mother who allegedly threw drunken sex parties for teens are calling her a “dangerous predator” and asked a judge to impose as much prison time as possible, KGO-TV reports.
On Friday, 48-year-old Shannon O’Connor was in court for a hearing about what kind of sentence might be imposed if she pleaded guilty.
The mother of two is facing charges of felony child endangerment and sexual battery, among 38 counts in all, in connection with allegations that she hosted alcohol-laden sex parties for local teens from 2020-2021 at her mansion in Los Gatos behind her husband’s back.
O’Connor allegedly pressured the minors to consume excessive amounts of alcohol and engage in sex for her own gratification, according to KRON-TV. Girls, who ranged in age from 13 to 15 years old, testified that they were sexually assaulted by boys while drunk and that O’Connor watched the assaults.
The court on Friday heard testimony from multiple victims who described O’Connor as “sick,” “deceitful,” and a “dangerous predator,” according to KGO-TV. Victims shared how O’Connor came to know them through social media and her two teenage sons.
“This woman tore my life apart. I have suffered and had to deal with the reputation of being ‘the girl that got raped.’ I will live my high school years with this cloud over me,” one of the victims testified, according to KRON-TV.
“(It’s) a part of me, something I can’t run from. I so desperately want my life back,” another victim said, according to KGO-TV.
Many of the victims now suffer from depression, anxiety, and PTSD, in addition to various emotional and physical symptoms. At least one victim testified that O’Connor stalked her physically and through her phone and social media after she moved to Idaho.
Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Rebekah Wise lauded the girls for testifying on Friday.
“Every time we are in court and victims stand up and have the courage to speak their truth about what happened to them, it is an emotional experience for everyone in the courtroom who is watching,” Wise told KGO-TV.
The court did not announce any particular sentence that O’Connor might receive if she pleads guilty. She faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted on all counts. Her next court date is scheduled for May 16.
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[Featured Photo: Shannon O’Connor/Police Handout]
