Florida police officer was living in and renovating a house, and investigators say he took it over using its dead owner’s ID

A Lauderhill, Florida, police officer is facing multiple criminal charges after investigators alleged he took control of a deceased man’s house, renovated it, and used the dead owner’s identity to obtain building permits. Brian Louis Sguros, 35, was arrested after investigators alleged he used his position as a law enforcement officer to defraud the public and to access sensitive information about a man whose body he helped discover.

According to WPLG and the New York Post, Sguros and another officer responded to a welfare check on July 11, 2022, after a neighbor said they hadn’t seen 71-year-old homeowner Dennis Ionis West for roughly two weeks. Officers entered the home and found West’s body near the entrance, and an autopsy later confirmed he died of natural causes related to cardiovascular disease.

Investigators allege that Sguros, who has worked for the department since March 2021, falsely identified himself to the medical examiner’s office as a friend of West. He reportedly offered to handle funeral arrangements if no family could be found, though investigators say there is no evidence he knew the man. WPLG noted that the Broward Sheriff’s Office arrest affidavit alleges Sguros took possession of the home without legal authority around Aug. 1, 2022.

A neighbor wondered how the house changed hands so quickly

West’s neighbor, Lethel Haye, told WPLG she wondered how anyone “could have gotten the house so quick” after West died. She said Sguros was pulling rotten boards out of the home and that “at one point, they were living in there.”

Per the outlet, Sguros claimed in court filings that he invested at least $214,000 of his own money into the property, raising its value to about $500,000. He maintained that his actions were meant to keep the home safe from squatters. However, authorities allege he accessed police databases seven times between July 2022 and January 2023 to obtain West’s personal information, including his Social Security number and driver’s license details.

According to the New York Post, a building permit application for an $8,000 renovation project was filed in August 2024. The paperwork listed West as the owner and included his driver’s license and a signature purportedly belonging to him.

The application also reportedly claimed West had appeared before a notary, even though he had been dead for over two years. Investigators said the phone number on the permit belonged to Sguros, and the notary told them the signature and stamp on the documents were not hers.

The New York Post noted that the case came to light after Equinox Realty Holdings identified West’s legal heirs and acquired their interests in the property. Sguros eventually surrendered the keys but filed a civil lawsuit in February 2026 seeking reimbursement for his renovations, which prompted a formal complaint to the police department.

Sguros now faces several charges, including official misconduct, criminal use of a deceased person’s identification, and computer crimes. Broward County Property Appraiser Marty Kiar told WPLG, “We hold police officers in the highest regard,” because they take an oath to protect the public.

Kiar called the case “so troubling” because the officer has been charged with using his position to defraud the public. He also thanked his office’s Crimes Against Property Team and the Broward Sheriff’s Office for the investigation.

Sguros has reportedly been placed on leave without pay following his arrest. The charges against him have not been proven in court.