Photos On MySpace Get Family Evicted From Apartment

WFTV
Jun. 07, 2006

MELBOURNE, Fla. -- A picture on a MySpace website brought police to the door of a Melbourne family's apartment and now it could put that family out on the street. The pictures of a 14-year-old with two BB guns tucked into his shorts prompted a neighbor to call police and the landlord.

Now, because of the pictures, the teenager's family has been given seven days to get out of their apartment at Sable Palms.

Nico Portis' mom knew he had a MySpace page and knew he had a BB gun, a gift from his aunt. But, she didn't know the combination of the two could cause so much trouble.

Nico said he spends about four hours a day on MySpace. It was his space on the popular website that may ultimately cost his family their home. A picture of him with two BB guns tucked into his waistband and another picture of an arsenal of weapons were the final straw for the managers of the Sable Palms Apartment.

When another resident saw it, Portis' family was given seven days to get out. His mother was astounded.

"Never ever, never in my life. I never would imagine that a MySpace page would even go to that extreme, never," said Kecia Williams, Nico's mother.

The manager of the complex was not permitted to discuss the case on camera, but said there were numerous other violations of the lease, including a guest of her son's who was arrested for burglarizing another apartment. The manager said the MySpace photos were just the last straw.

Williams said her son was unfairly targeted.

"Every time there is, like, an incident, it's basically like your son did this or your son did that," she said.

She also said no one in her home has been arrested and when the police came out to investigate the pictures on the MySpace website, they found nothing illegal. The picture of the arsenal had been pulled off another website.

"Anybody can put anything they want on MySpace. Why was he targeted? That's what I want to know," Williams said.

Williams is already challenging the termination of the lease. The manager said if she does and loses, it could be much harder for her family to find another home.

Williams said she forced her son to take the pictures off of his websites and when the police were there she asked them to confiscate the BB gun, which they did. They are waiting to see what will happen with their apartment next.