Section 48-2A-11 - Discharge; penalty.
48-2A-11. Discharge; penalty.
A. Payment by the owner or his successor in interest to any person entitled to payment of all and any amounts due and owing for any labor or materials furnished or other actions the performance of which could give rise to a lien pursuant to Section 48-2-2 NMSA 1978 to be performed upon a residential site shall discharge all such liens unless prior to payment any person who is entitled to such lien has filed for record his lien pursuant to Section 48-2-6 NMSA 1978. For the purposes of this section, the original contractor shall not be the agent of the owner.
B. Any contractor or subcontractor justly indebted to a supplier of material or labor who accepts payment for construction described in Subsection A of this section and knowingly and intentionally applies the proceeds to a use other than paying those persons with whom he contracted is guilty of a fourth degree felony and shall be sentenced pursuant to the provisions of Section 31-18-15 NMSA 1978.