Telephone Threat, Harass, Offend

Legal Definition

A person commits this offense by using a telephone or other electronic communication device to terrify, intimidate, threaten, harass, annoy, or offend another person. The statute prohibits making repeated calls or communications with the intent to abuse, torment, or harass, as well as making threats of physical harm or using obscene or lewd language with intent to offend. Anonymous calls made with intent to terrify or harass are also covered.

Possible Punishment

Up to 6 months in county jail and a fine up to $500.

Public-Order Cases in Doña Ana County

Disorderly conduct, resisting or obstructing an officer, and giving false identification are classic add-on charges: they frequently ride along with something else in a booking rather than standing alone. Most are petty misdemeanors, the lowest tier of New Mexico offenses, with maximum exposure measured in months rather than years.

Because these charges often arise from chaotic street encounters, how a person behaves during the arrest matters enormously. Resisting is a separate crime even when the underlying stop goes nowhere, which is why knowing your rights, and asserting them calmly, is the practical advice every attorney gives.

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