A South Bay mother accused of throwing out of control parties for young teens will stay in jail until her trial is over after she was denied bail Thursday by a Santa Clara County judge.
Former Los Gatos resident Shannon O'Connor has been in jail since October on charges connected to throwing alcohol-fueled parties for underage teens and encouraging them to engage in sex acts.
O'Connor was arrested in Idaho in October, but NBC Bay Area's Investigative Unit found Los Gatos High School and Los Gatos-Monte Sereno police officials knew about her behavior at least 10 months before that.
O'Connor faces 39 felony and misdemeanor charges, including child endangerment, child molestation and sexual assault.
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Thursday's decision comes after prosecutors argued O'Connor should not be allowed out of jail in part because she already moved out of state once, and has the money to flee again. She and her husband recently sold their $4.5 million Los Gatos home.
The district attorney also claims O'Connor while in custody both in Idaho and in Santa Clara County, she continued her crime spree by making phone calls and trying to manipulate a witness and to hide financial assets.
"It's not surprising to me that she continued to commit crimes while in custody because we have a pattern here that is clear from the facts of the case," prosecutor Rebekah Wise said.
It was one of the reasons the judge cited for denying bail for O'Connor on Thursday.
The court also hear from another of many teenage accusers during the hearing.
Four parents also testified, including the suspect's ex-husband, who called O'Connor a "menace to society." Other parents said that the victims are all still devastated, calling O'Connor a child predator who sought to retain control by manipulation and fear.
All of them pleased with the judge to keep O'Connor in jail.
The attorney representing O'Connor said they will appeal the judge's decision deny bail and previously argued in motions the mother is not a flight risk or threat.
"I have to deal with the court's ruling," said Brian Madden, O'Connor's lawyer. "I'll be filing a petition under the Sixth District Court of Appeals to challenge the court's ruling today."
The defense also told the court "these are not crimes of violence" and that O'Connor should be out on bail.
"She's entitled under the Constitution to bail based on the nature of these offenses," Madden said.
