Shop owner arrest sparks Porter House Ink protest

By Sydney Huber

LAS CRUCES, N.M. — A protest was held Thursday, April 16, in support of sexual assault survivors following the arrest of Billy Porter, outside of his family-owned tattoo and piercing shop, Porter House Ink, where he was accused of raping a 19-year-old woman. 

The protest was organized by 23-year-old Geena Rae through a Las Cruces Facebook page, where she encouraged others to support not only the 19-year-old, but all survivors of sexual assault. Rae said she organized the protest “to let the victims know they are supported, to raise awareness, to come together as a community.”

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Rae said she made the realization after Porter was arrested.

“I think that [Porter’s arrest] happened for a reason,” Rae said, connecting the month’s awareness to the cause of Porter’s arrest.

During the protest, a woman, apparently Porter’s sister, came outside to the shop’s porch and threatened a protestor. The woman threatened to call police and made threats using vulgar language.

More than a dozen protestors showed up at various times between 4 and 7 p.m.

Porter, 42, was arrested by New Mexico State Police Friday, April 10, on four counts of criminal sexual penetration, one count of criminal sexual contact, and one count of selling or giving an alcoholic beverage to a minor. 

On Wednesday, April 8, a 19-year-old customer arrived at Porter House Ink for her tattoo session with her mother. According to police documents, the customer told investigators her mother left the appointment after Porter began flirting and hitting on the mother “aggressively.”   

The 19-year-old also told investigators Porter had her drink from a bottle of Crown Royal Whisky, adding that he had never offered her alcohol or drinks during her previous tattoo sessions.  

During the session, the woman was lying on her right side while Porter tattooed a large octopus, that began on her left side near her lower ribs and ending near her knee.  

Porter began the session around 1 p.m., documents state, and around 6 or 7 p.m., all the other employees and customers had left the shop, leaving the 19-year-old and Porter alone.  

As stated in the documents, Porter allegedly began grabbing the woman’s rear end and used his right hand to grab her by the neck, then biting her there, as well as biting her chest and leg. Then, he allegedly pushed the woman’s legs apart and used his fingers to forcibly penetrate her.  

“During the assault, he kept saying that she had a perfect body and was beautiful,” read the documents.  

The police documents state that Porter allegedly pulled out his phone to record the assault and told the victim to “pose” for him. After recording the assault, the woman saw Porter upload the video to Snapchat and hid it in his “My Eyes Only” file. 

After Porter finished the tattoo around 8 p.m., the woman paid him, and Porter allegedly said the next time she came in, “he’ll give it to me.” The woman said she felt scared after the comment, according to documents. After the alleged assault, the woman met with officials at the Las Cruces Police Department to make a report.  

The woman also spoke with a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE), and the nurse said the woman had multiple injuries to her head, neck, and private area, including, but not limited to, abrasions, bruises, and swelling. It is also noted in the police documents that the victim was in a lot of pain during the examination. 

In 2022, Porter was also arrested and accused of sexually assaulting Desirae Martinez, 22 at the time, in her home after investigators said he started tattooing her.

However, the charges were dismissed in 2024 due to “a lack of sufficient evidence,” despite Martinez providing Ring camera footage of Porter at her apartment, as well as camera footage of Martinez’s boyfriend carrying her out of the door and to the hospital.  

Martinez commented on Porter’s arrest, saying she “will not rest until he gets what he deserves.”  

“For all victims involved, myself included in Porter’s act, I seek justice actually being served this time around,” Martinez said. “If my case has to remain shut for others to be saved, so be it.” 

 Porter is currently being held at Doña Ana County Detention Center without bond.