A Lauderhill police officer who responded to a routine welfare check and discovered a 71-year-old resident dead inside his home is now facing serious felony charges after investigators accused him of secretly moving into the property and impersonating the deceased man for years. Brian Louis Sguros, 35, was arrested on multiple felony counts including official misconduct, criminal use of a deceased identification, and unlawful use of a two-way communications device following an extensive criminal inquiry by the Broward County Sheriff’s Office. Court records indicate that the officer responded to the residential home on July 11, 2022, where Dennis West was found dead from natural causes stemming from arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Rather than limiting his involvement to standard police duties, Sguros allegedly presented himself to the medical examiner’s office as a personal friend of the victim and falsely claimed that West had no living family members to handle his estate.
Florida Officer Charged with Stealing Dead Man’s Identity and Home
Authorities stated that Sguros took unlawful possession of the residential property in August 2022, initiating a multi-year scheme where he lived in the residence, paid utility bills and property taxes in West’s name, and carried out extensive building renovations. Investigators revealed that Sguros claimed he spent at least $214,000 of his own personal funds on property repairs while using his department computer to conduct unauthorized database searches for West’s driver’s license, address, and Social Security records. The accused officer allegedly forged West’s signature on city permit applications for exterior home repairs, listing his own direct telephone number on the official paperwork. A project manager working on the property recalled being told by Sguros that the homeowner was unavailable, remaining entirely unaware that West had passed away years prior during the initial welfare check.
The prolonged property takeover unraveled when a real estate company purchased the home from West’s legal heirs through legitimate probate proceedings in late 2025. When a company employee attempted to access the property, they encountered Sguros, who ultimately surrendered the property keys before an unlawful detainer action was formally filed while demanding over $200,000 in financial reimbursement for home improvements. After the real estate company submitted a formal criminal complaint to the Lauderhill Police Department in May, law enforcement officials launched the investigation that led to this week’s arrest. Sguros appeared in court on Wednesday and was ordered held on a $25,000 bond, while the police department placed him on administrative leave without pay pending the outcome of the ongoing judicial proceedings.
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