Bay Area 'Party Mom' Accused Of Pressuring Teens To Engage In Drunken Sex Acts At Secret Parties: Report

LOS GATOS, CA — The Los Gatos "Party Mom" is on trial for holding an underage party that caused around $9,000 in damage to a Santa Cruz beach house, and she is accused of pressuring high school students to engage in sexual activities, according to a report by KRON4.

A witness in the trial against Shannon O'Connor, dubbed the Los Gatos "Party Mom," testified that the mother and a group of drunk teenagers turned a rented Santa Cruz beach house into an "Animal House" in October 2020, KRON4 reported. The homeowner told a Santa Clara County jury that the underage drinking and "wild antics" caused approximately $9,000 in damages during the son's birthday celebration, according to KRON4.

O’Connor, who faces 63 charges including child molestation and furnishing alcohol to minors, has pleaded not guilty. Patch was unable to reach O’Connor for comment.

“She's been held without bail since the moment she was arrested. That is typically reserved for our most serious offenders,” said Stephen Prekoski, O’Connor’s defense attorney, in a statement. “She's clearly not a murderer. She is, in fact, I think very unlikely to be a repeat offender.”

According to court documents, 50-year-old O’Connor is facing accusations that she coerced intoxicated Los Gatos High School students into sexual activities with one another at private parties. The mother allegedly watched these activities for her own sexual gratification, prosecutors allege, according to KRON4. Prosecutors are now seeking to convince a jury that these parties constitute criminal acts.

Court videos showed boys drinking heavily, vomiting and smashing beer cans on their heads. Surveillance cameras recorded numerous DoorDash deliveries of liquor and beer. The homeowner said the house was trashed, KRON4 reported.

O'Connor was the only adult at the notorious, filmed parties, hosted for her freshman son and his football friends, often at her mansion while her husband was away. Witnesses reported she selected "pretty and trustworthy" girls to maintain secrecy. The affluent Los Gatos community was shocked and outraged by the police investigation, as many parents had trusted O'Connor, according to KRON4.

Testimony from a boy at the 2020 Halloween party revealed that over 30 unsupervised teens attended. He said O'Connor, who had hidden a large stockpile of alcohol, was the only adult at several other secret parties she organized, where some teens binge drank, swam and passed out, according to KRON4. He also testified that O'Connor acted like one of the "popular girls" and controlled the popular crowd and who dated whom, KRON4 reported.

The trial continues Wednesday with more prosecution witnesses; it's uncertain if O'Connor will testify.

Read the full story at KRON4.