Colorado woman sentenced to prison for posing as psychologist in state agencies
A Colorado woman who posed as a psychologist in various state departments has been sentenced to prison.
On Monday, a Denver judge ordered Shannon McShane to serve four years in the Colorado Department of Corrections after she pleaded guilty to charges of influencing a public servant, perjury, and retaliation against a witness.
McShane worked as a family evaluator in courtrooms throughout the state, where her reports often played a key role in determining child custody arrangements.
She also spent years at the Colorado State Mental Health Hospital and provided counseling to inmates while employed by the Colorado Department of Corrections.
Among the cases she worked on was Chad Kullhem’s custody battle. Concerned about her conduct, Kullhem filed a formal complaint in 2023 with Colorado’s Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA).
That complaint ultimately revealed that McShane had falsely claimed to hold a PhD from a university in London.
Kullhem said he hopes the sentence sends a clear message to others who may try to deceive the system.
“This really sets an example to them,” Kullhem said in a Zoom interview after the hearing. “It shows them that if they get caught, they are not just going to walk away and start a new career somewhere — they are going to be held accountable and hopefully that prevents further corruption and issues like this.”
During her sentencing, McShane addressed the court and apologized directly to Kullhem, admitting she had lost her mind.
Before announcing the sentence, the judge stated that McShane used falsehoods to infiltrate Colorado’s justice system and emphasized that the damage to public trust was significant.
McShane was taken from the courtroom in handcuffs on Monday and will begin serving her prison term immediately.