A. When the public nuisance sought to be abated under the provisions of Section 30-8-8 NMSA 1978 is a house of prostitution, as defined in Section 30-9-8 NMSA 1978, in addition to injunctive relief, the remedies and presumptions provided in this section apply.

B. For the purposes of this section and Section 30-8-8 NMSA 1978, two or more convictions of any person or persons occurring at least one week apart within a period of one year for violation of either Section 30-9-2 or 30-9-3 NMSA 1978 arising out of conduct engaged in at the place described in an abatement action creates a presumption that the place is a house of prostitution. However, this presumption shall not arise unless the person against whom the abatement action is brought is shown to have had actual knowledge or to have received written notice from law enforcement officials of the convictions upon which the presumption is based. The knowledge must have been acquired or the notice given no more than thirty days after the date of the convictions. For the purpose of this section the "date of the convictions" is the date upon which a plea of guilty or nolo contendere or a judgment of guilty entered in the case charging the crime is final and unappealable.

C. If, in an abatement action brought under Section 30-8-8 NMSA 1978, a binding admission is made by the defendant or the court concludes that a house of prostitution exists at the location alleged, the court may, as part of its judgment:

(1) direct the removal from the house of prostitution all movable personal property used in conducting the house of prostitution and shall direct the sale of that property in the same manner as personal property is sold when seized under a writ of execution; and

(2) order the closing of the house of prostitution for a period of one year and prohibit any person entering it except under conditions specified in the order.

D. If a judgement entered under the provisions of Subsection C of this section includes the provisions of Paragraph (2) of that subsection, the court shall include in its judgment a provision for permitting the owner of the premises ordered closed to take possession of them if he files a bond with sureties to be approved by the court in an amount equal to the full value of the property conditioned upon his promise to abate the nuisance immediately and prevent the reoccurrence of the nuisance for one year thereafter.

History: Laws 1989, ch. 114, § 1.

Am. Jur. 2d, A.L.R. and C.J.S. references. — 24 Am. Jur. 2d Disorderly Houses §§ 40 to 48.

27 C.J.S. Disorderly Houses § 18.