(A) It shall be unlawful for any person to lease, keep, or use, or permit any house to be used, for the purpose of prostitution, fornication, adultery, homosexuality, or any other purpose which offends against the public morals.
(B) It shall be unlawful for any person to keep or harbor in any house as mentioned in division (A) above any other person for the purpose of prostitution; and it shall further be unlawful for any person to be found lounging or loitering in any house of ill fame or bawdy house, or in any house reputed to be a house of ill fame or bawdy house; but the person charged with or arrested for being found lounging or loitering in any house so reputed, shall be discharged if he or she shall show and establish in defense, upon trial, that the house is not in fact a house of ill fame or bawdy house.
(Prior Code, § 17-9) Penalty, see § 130.999
Cross-reference:
Authority of Common Council to prevent immoral, lewd, and indecent conduct, see Charter § 30
Statutory reference:
As to detention of female in place of prostitution, see W. Va. Code 61-8-6
Authority to punish any person connected with a house of ill fame, see W. Va. Code 8-12-5(18), (19), and (44)
Houses of ill fame generally, see W. Va. Code 61-8-5