Criminal Property Damage
Legal Definition
A person commits criminal damage to property by knowingly damaging any real or personal property of another without the owner's consent. The offense includes acts such as defacing, destroying, or impairing the usefulness or value of property belonging to another person. The level of the offense depends on the monetary value of the damage caused.
Possible Punishment
For damage under $1,000: up to 6 months in county jail and a fine up to $500. For damage between $1,000 and $2,500: up to 364 days in county jail and a fine up to $1,000. For damage between $2,500 and $20,000: basic sentence of 18 months imprisonment and a fine up to $5,000. For damage over $20,000: basic sentence of 3 years imprisonment and a fine up to $5,000. Restitution to the victim for the full amount of damage is typically ordered in addition to any criminal penalty.
Local Context
The statute also covers damage to property of a utility, cemetery, or place of worship, which may carry enhanced penalties. Graffiti and vandalism are common forms of criminal damage to property. The value of damage is determined by the cost of repair or replacement.
Property-Crime Cases in Doña Ana County
Property charges in New Mexico scale with dollar value and circumstances. The same shoplifting conduct can be a petty misdemeanor or a felony depending on the value of what was taken, and burglary escalates sharply when the structure is a home or someone is inside. That is why our charge database lists several versions of larceny and burglary with different classifications.
Property cases also drive a large share of repeat bookings: failure to appear on an older larceny case frequently brings someone back into the detention center on a bench warrant alongside any new charge.
Related Guides
Misdemeanor vs. Felony in New Mexico: Sentences, Courts, and Consequences
How New Mexico separates petty misdemeanors, misdemeanors, and felony degrees: sentence ranges, jail vs. prison, habitual enhancements, and collateral costs.
Bench Warrants and Failure to Appear in New Mexico: How a Missed Court Date Becomes a Booking
What a bench warrant is, how it differs from an arrest warrant, why FTA bookings fill the Doña Ana County jail log, and how to clear a warrant before arrest.
Recent Arrests for This Charge (4)
Las Cruces Man, 54, Charged with Failure to Appear
SAMUEL CABRALES NEVAREZ | 8 charges
Las Cruces Man, 35, Charged with Probation Violation
MATTHEW SIERRAS | 3 charges
Las Cruces Man, 18, Charged with Criminal Property Damage
KENNETH OGLESBY | 3 charges
Las Cruces Man, 52, Booked on Misdemeanor Criminal Property Damage on North Main
JASON SURRENCY | 1 charge
Information provided for general reference. Statutory text is summarized and may not reflect the most recent amendments. All persons listed are presumed innocent until proven guilty.