(A) Operating a place for or permitting or engaging.
(1) No person shall keep, set up, maintain or operate any house, place, building, hotel, tourist camp, other structure or part thereof, or vehicle, trailer or other conveyance for the purpose of prostitution, lewdness or assignation; or own any place, house, hotel, tourist camp, other structure or part thereof, or trailer or other conveyance knowing the same to be used for the purpose of prostitution, lewdness or assignation, or let, sublet or rent any such place, premises or conveyance to another with knowledge or good reason to know of the intention of the lessee or rentee to use such place, premises or conveyance for prostitution, lewdness or assignation; or offer, or offer to secure another for the purpose of prostitution or for any other lewd or indecent act; or receive or offer or agree to receive any person into any house, place, building, hotel, tourist camp or other structure, or vehicle, trailer or other conveyance for the purpose of prostitution, lewdness or assignation, or permit any person to remain there for such purpose; or for another or others, direct, take or transport, or offer or agree to take or transport, or aid or assist in transporting any person to any house, place, building, hotel, tourist camp, other structure, vehicle, trailer or other conveyance, or to any other person with knowledge or having reasonable cause to believe that the purpose of such directing, taking or transporting is prostitution, lewdness or assignation; or aid, abet or participate in the doing of any acts herein prohibited. Whoever violates this division (A)(1) shall, for a first offense, be guilty of a misdemeanor.
(2) (a) No person shall engage in prostitution, lewdness or assignation, or solicit, induce, entice or procure another to commit an act of prostitution, lewdness or assignation; or reside in, enter or remain in any house, place, building, hotel, tourist camp or other structure, or enter or remain in any vehicle, trailer or other conveyance for the purpose of prostitution, lewdness or assignation; or aid, abet or participate in the doing of any of the acts herein prohibited.
(b) Whoever violates this division (A)(2) shall, for a first or second offense, be guilty of a misdemeanor.
(c) The subsequent offense provision shall apply only to the pimp, panderer, solicitor, operator or any person benefitting financially or otherwise from the earnings of a prostitute.
(3) All leases and agreements, oral or written, for letting, subletting or renting any house, place, building, hotel, tourist camp or other structure which is used for the purpose of prostitution, lewdness or assignation, shall be void from and after the date any person who is a party to such an agreement shall be convicted of an offense hereunder. TOURIST CAMP includes any temporary or permanent buildings, tents, cabins or structures, or trailers or other vehicles which are maintained, offered or used for dwelling or sleeping quarters for pay.
(4) In the trial of any person charged with a violation of any of the provisions of this section, testimony concerning the reputation or character of any house, place, building, hotel, tourist camp or other structure, and of the person or persons who reside in or frequent them, and of the defendant or defendants, shall be admissible in evidence in support of the charge.
(Prior Code, § 517.01)
(B) Detention of person in place of prostitution.
(1) No person shall by any means keep, hold, detain or restrain any person in a house of prostitution or other place where prostitution is practiced or allowed; shall, directly or indirectly, keep, hold, detain or restrain or attempt to keep, hold, detain or restrain, in any house of prostitution or other place where prostitution is practiced or allowed, any person by any means, for the purpose of compelling such person, directly or indirectly, to pay, liquidate or cancel any debt, dues or obligations incurred or said to have been incurred by such person.
(2) Whoever violates this section shall, for a first offense, be guilty of a misdemeanor if the person so kept, held, detained or restrained under this section is not a minor.
(Prior Code, § 517.02) Penalty, see § 135.99
Statutory reference:
Related provisions, see W.Va. Code §§ 61-8-5, 61-8-6