Los Gatos 'Party Mom' Sentenced to 35 Years, 10 Months After Victims Confront Her in Court

Shannon O'Connor, the 52-year-old Los Gatos woman known as the 'Party Mom,' was sentenced to 35 years and 10 months in prison on Thursday after being confronted by several of her victims in a Santa Clara County courtroom. O'Connor, also known as Shannon Bruga, was found guilty in March of hosting alcohol-fueled teen sex parties in 2020 and 2021, where she was often the only adult present.

The case involved 12 girls and eight boys, most of whom are now in college. Prior to sentencing, victims and their families delivered impact statements describing years of trauma, manipulation, and emotional fallout.

One survivor said O'Connor crushed her self-esteem and derailed her future. The mother of another survivor described O'Connor as grooming her daughter with inappropriate gifts while pretending they were from her son.

Deputy District Attorney Joanne Lee called O'Connor 'a sexual predator' who groomed children as young as 11, manipulated teens through Snapchat, and pressured minors into sexual activity at the parties. Prosecutors said O'Connor concealed the gatherings from parents, police, and her husband.

Before sentencing, O'Connor briefly addressed the court, denying any sexual interest in the minors, but prosecutors pushed back, warning she could reoffend. Detectives later found 12 minors—including 10 boys—staying overnight at her home near Boise, Idaho.

The sentence reflects 48 felony counts involving minors.