Shannon McShane, 57, has been indicted on multiple charges by a statewide grand jury for allegedly using false credentials to obtain a state license as a psychologist. This allowed her to gain employment with various state agencies and serve in child custody cases across Colorado. The announcement was made by Attorney General Phil Weiser.
“Defrauding the state of Colorado and engaging in unlicensed practice as a psychologist in a manner that impacts our justice system is a grave breach of public trust,” said Weiser. “In this case, we are seeking to hold Shannon McShane accountable for her alleged conduct and to send a message that this behavior is intolerable.”
The indictment, filed on August 29 in Denver District Court, alleges that over six years, McShane falsely claimed to have earned a PhD in Psychology from the University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom. This claim enabled her to obtain licensure with the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies as a licensed psychologist, certified addiction counselor, and licensed addiction counselor.
With these licenses, McShane secured several positions within the State of Colorado. Notably, she provided affidavits and documentation to the Office of the State Court Administrator which led them to qualify her for statewide rosters for child and family investigators and parental evaluators. These roles allowed her to conduct investigations and offer judges recommendations on parenting time and decision-making for children. She testified under oath about holding a PhD.
Additionally, McShane sought employment with the Colorado Department of Corrections and the Colorado Department of Human Services at the Colorado Mental Health Institute in Pueblo by claiming she had earned a PhD.
Officials from the University of Hertfordshire could not find any records indicating that McShane had ever been enrolled or earned a degree there.
McShane faces eight counts of attempt to influence a public servant (F4), five counts of forgery (F5), one count of perjury (F4), and one count of retaliation against a victim or witness (F3). She is currently held at the Denver Downtown Detention Center under case number 2024CR15110.
A grand jury indictment is an official accusation under Colorado laws; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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