EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – The El Paso County Attorney’s Office has obtained a temporary restraining order to stop for-profit parties, known as mansion parties, from happening at a far East Side residence.
The County Attorney’s Office alleges illegal activities have been happening at the property of 5081 Fort Defiance in the unincorporated part of El Paso County.
The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office says that the property has been the scene of at least 20 criminal incidents since April, including assaults, aggravated assaults, shots fired, medical emergencies and general nuisance calls.
The court order bans the property owners from using the property to operate, host or use the property for any type of gatherings, parties, entertainment or social activity of any kind.
The order identifies two defendants in the lawsuit – Mansion Promotions and GMT Promotions – which use social media to advertise parties where they charge an admittance fee.
These parties are advertised to start at 10 p.m. and “go well into the next day,” the County Attorney’s Office said.
The parties are known to attract hundreds of people ranging in age from 15 to about 26, the County Attorney’s Office added.
The order will remain in effect until at least Aug. 29 when a court hearing will weigh evidence to consider approval of a temporary injunction.
“The use of civil legal tools to combat criminal activity in our neighborhoods is an additional legal avenue that we can use to keep our community safe,” County Attorney Jo Anne Bernal said in a news release announcing the temporary restraining order.
“We are grateful to all agencies and specifically the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office that worked with us on this case to address safety concerns of residents. We are pleased to have addressed some of those issues.”
The lawsuit was initiated by the Nuisance Abatement Team of the El Paso County Attorney’s Office after receiving information about “alleged criminal and dangerous activities occurring at or around the property.”
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