The Los Gatos mom accused of hosting alcohol-fueled parties for minors was in court Tuesday and declined to change her not guilty plea in exchange for an "indicated sentence" of 17 years and four months in prison.
Shannon O’Connor continues to plead not guilty to a total of 39 misdemeanor and felony charges, which include sexual battery, child endangerment and providing alcohol to minors.
O'Connor's indicated sentence came after she asked the judge how much time she would face if she were to change her plea to guilty or no contest. She was already facing a maximum sentence of 20 years.
Prosecutors say between 2020 and 2021, O'Connor threw multiple parties with excessive alcohol for her teen son and his friends. Some of the teens were injured at the gatherings. She is also accused of encouraging sexual activity between some of the minors. At times, those sex acts were nonconsensual, prosecutors say.
Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter.
"I'm not exactly surprised by this," said Santa Clara Co. Deputy District Attorney Rebekah Wise, the prosecutor on the case. "Given the conduct that occurred over a course of months and the defendant took extensive action to hide what she was doing from law enforcement, from parents...I’m not surprised this is proceeding to preliminary hearing."
O'Connor has been held without bail for more than a year after her arrest. Her attorney has repeatedly declined to comment publicly.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for August.
