LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- The Las Cruces Police Department said a man accused of harassing local realtors with text messages was arrested Wednesday.

Last month realtors complained to police about receiving the harassing messages containing pictures of male genitalia.

Wednesday, 23-year-old Joseph Daniel Mendoza was arrested on one charge of making threatening, harassing or offensive phone calls.

“Our officers actually telephoned this individual and contacted him. They told him it's very inappropriate to be sending these messages and photos. They gave him a warning and he kept on doing this,” said Las Cruces Police spokesman Dan Trujillo.

Kathy Olson, broker/owner of Exit Realty in Las Cruces said at least four of her agents received the text messages, and she's glad Mendoza has been caught.

“We did hear from all four of them that he had texted them and if they responded then the text finished off with pornography,” Olson said.

She said they probably got their cell phone numbers from local publications.

“It was all female people that he had contacted probably with their picture in the magazine. That as realtors, we have become vulnerable, because we put our picture up there and our cell phone number out there,” Olson said.

“Something like this could have led to something more serious. That's why we're glad nothing more serious happened. We did make an arrest and the district attorney’s office will take up the case,” Trujillo said.

The Las Cruces Police Department said an investigation led police to arrest him on Christmas Eve, regardless of the holiday.

“It doesn't matter what day or what time it is we're going to keep on doing our job. This isn't the only arrest we're making today,” Trujillo said.

Mendoza was taken to the Dona Ana County Detention Center with bond set at $5,000.