New Mexico Prostitution and Solicitation Laws
Created by FindLaw's team of legal writers and editors | Last reviewed February 10, 2023
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New Mexico prohibits prostitution (having sex for money), solicitation (patronizing a prostitute), and pimping (promoting prostitution). Promoting prostitution includes things such as owning a house of prostitution, renting or leasing a property for prostitution purposes, inducing a person to become a prostitute, or soliciting a patron for a prostitute. The following is a brief summary of New Mexico's prostitution and solicitation laws.
New Mexico Prostitution and Solicitation Laws
The following table outlines New Mexico's prostitution and solicitation laws.
Code Sections | NEW MEXICO STAT. ANN. § 30-9-2 et seq. |
What is Prohibited? | Prostitution: Engaging or offering to engage in a sexual act for pay. Solicitation (a.k.a. patronizing a prostitute): Knowingly hiring or offering to hire a prostitute or a person believed to be a prostitute or remaining in a house of prostitution or other place where prostitution is practiced, encouraged, or allowed with the intent of engaging in a sexual act with a prostitute. Pimping (a.k.a. promoting prostitution): Promoting prostitution consists of knowingly performing any of the following:
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Penalties | Prostitution and solicitation are petty misdemeanors punishable by up to 6 months in prison and up to $500 in fines. A second or subsequent offense of prostitution or solicitation is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 1 year in prison and up to $1,000 in fines. Pimping is a fourth-degree felony punishable by up to 18 months in prison and up to $5,000 in fines. |
New Mexico Prostitution and Solicitation Laws: Related Resources
Being charged with a prostitution or prostitution related offense is a serious matter. If you or someone you know has been charged with prostitution or a prostitution related crime, you may want to consult with a New Mexico criminal defense attorney. You can also visit FindLaw's sections on Prostitution, Solicitation, and Pimping and Pandering Laws for more articles and information on these topics.
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