A Lauderhill, Florida, police officer who found a man dead on a welfare check in 2022 has been charged with felonies after investigators said he took over the house and used the dead man's identity, NBC News reported, with the Associated Press covering the same arrest^1,2.

Brian Louis Sguros, 35, was arrested Tuesday and charged with official misconduct, criminal use of a deceased person's identification, criminal use of personal identification information, an offense against a computer user, and unlawful use of a two-way communications device, NBC News reported, citing the Broward County Sheriff's Office¹.

Dennis West, 71, was found dead inside the home on July 11, 2022, NBC News reported¹. The medical examiner determined he died of natural causes from arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to the arrest affidavit cited by NBC¹.

Investigators said Sguros presented himself to the medical examiner as West's friend and said West had no living family, which was not true, NBC News reported¹.

Sguros stated in paperwork that he took possession of the home in August 2022, weeks after the death, NBC News reported¹. From then through February 2025 he cleaned and repaired the property and claimed he spent at least $214,000 of his own money, according to the affidavit cited by NBC¹.

In civil pleadings he said he acted because the property was hazardous and he wanted to prevent crime and squatters, NBC News reported¹.

Authorities said he paid taxes and utilities in West's name and used West's identification to obtain a city permit, allegedly forging the signature while listing his own phone number, NBC News reported¹. The arrest affidavit said he ran multiple searches on a work computer in law-enforcement databases for West's driver's license record, which showed address, date of birth and Social Security number, NBC reported¹.

A project manager whose company replaced doors and windows in 2024 told police he did not know West was dead and recalled Sguros saying West was "unavailable," NBC News reported¹.

In February 2025, Sguros and his spouse filed a form with the Broward County Property Appraiser seeking a claim on the home, NBC News reported¹. A real estate company later bought the property from West's heirs, gained possession in probate in fall 2025, and encountered Sguros when an employee tried to take the house, according to the affidavit cited by NBC¹. He surrendered the keys before an unlawful detainer action but demanded reimbursement, NBC reported¹.

He filed a civil complaint against the company in February seeking more than $200,000, NBC News reported¹. In May, the company's attorney complained to the Lauderhill Police Department¹.

Sguros appeared in court Wednesday, and NBC News, citing NBC South Florida, said a judge set bond at $25,000¹. NBC did not report whether he posted that bond or remained in custody¹. After the arrest he was placed on unpaid administrative leave¹. NBC News said it was not clear whether he had an attorney¹.

Sources

1. nbcnews.comFlorida officer found dead man, impersonated him for years and renovated his home, police sayOct 21, 4:02 PM
2. APFlorida officer took possession of man's home after finding him dead 4 years ago, police sayOct 22, 8:00 PM

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