The California mother who has been accused of hosting alcohol-fueled sex parties across two states for her 15-year-old son and his school friends was denied bail on Wednesday and was hit with 15 protective orders barring her from contacting the victims, including her own child.
Shannon O'Connor, 47, also known as Shannon Bruga, was extradited from Idaho to Santa Clara County, California, on Tuesday and appeared before a judge the following day.
O'Connor, a mother-of-two, allegedly organized at least a half-dozen large parties and a smattering of smaller gatherings at her home in Los Gatos, but also in Santa Cruz and Lake Tahoe, where prosecutors said she would ply 14- and 15-year-olds with vodka, hand out condoms, encourage minors to have sex, and even watch and laugh while the teenagers engaged in sex acts, some of which were said to be nonconsensual.
O'Connor was arraigned on Wednesday on 39 charges, including felony child endangerment, child molestation, sexual assault and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and ordered jailed without bond pending her next court appearance scheduled for December 17.
Bail was denied Wednesday for Shannon O'Connor (pictured in court), a California mother accused of hosting alcohol-fueled parties for her teenage son and his friends where she encouraged them to drink and have sex with intoxicated girls
O'Connor's defense lawyer, Sam Polverino (right), argued that the no-bail order has violated his client's civil rights
Officials in Idaho, where O'Connor had recently moved with her children, stated that when deputies arrived to arrest her earlier this month on a fugitive warrant, they found a dozen teenagers at her home.
Judge Johnny Gogo ruled to deny bail after prosecutors said that they have 'clear and convincing evidence that if the defendant were to be released to the public, there is likely going to be great bodily harm to the victims in this case and to members of the public,' reported East Bay Times.
Deputy District Attorney Rebekah Wise also alleged that O'Connor, who had relocated with her sons to Star, Idaho, where she allegedly continued throwing boozy parties for minors, was a flight risk.
The judge told O'Connor's defense attorney, Sam Polverino, that he could request a hearing to revisit the issue of his client's bail eligibility in the future.
Polverino argued that the court has violated his client's civil rights and denied her due process.
O'Connor was arraigned on 39 criminal counts for allegedly hosting alcohol and sex parties for her son and his teenage friends in her home at the time in Los Gatos, California (pictured)
After the arraignment, Polverino told reporters he was 'saddened and shocked' by the judge's no-bail order.
'Everyone is entitled to a fair hearing,' he stated. 'We were deprived of one today.'
Judge Gogo also issued protective orders for 15 underage victims, among them O'Connor's elder son.
Family members of some of O'Connor's teenage party guests who attended the arraignment applauded the decision to keep O'Connor locked up without bail.
O'Connor was extradited on Tuesday to California from Idaho, where she had moved recently with her two sons
'We truly all feel she is a threat to the community: We experienced it, our children experienced it, and our community is not safe while she is out on the street,' said one mother. 'We are very grateful that the judge decided this today and didn’t prolong this.'
Silicon Valley mom Sherri Mullin, whose daughter attended two of O'Connor's parties early on, told ABC 7 News that her 'mom friend' had turned out to be a 'pure con artist' who betrayed her trust.
'She promised me that my kid was safe and she was going to be a responsible adult and a parent,' Mullin said. 'And she knew how I felt about that and she did the exact opposite.'
O'Connor is said to have kept the
