A Florida police officer has been arrested and charged with multiple felonies for allegedly impersonating a dead man and taking control of his home for more than two years. Lauderhill police officer Brian Sguros is accused of a scheme to possess the $400,000 home after he discovered the owner, Dennis West, dead during a welfare check in August 2022.
Investigators with the Broward County Sheriff’s Office claim Sguros initiated a complex deception, telling the county medical examiner that he was friends with West and that the man had no surviving family, which was untrue. Authorities allege Sguros used West’s identification to pay property taxes and secure permits for renovations on the house. He also allegedly forged West’s signature for these permits.
Sguros reportedly used law enforcement databases to gather information on West. He claimed he took possession of the property weeks after finding West deceased to “prevent squatters from taking control of it.” In a court document he filed, Sguros stated he believed his actions of cleaning, securing, and restoring the home were lawful and responsible, aimed at protecting the surrounding community.
He maintained that he made no attempts to conceal his actions. Sguros reported spending more than $200,000 of his own money on repairs over 2 1/2 years, stating the house was filled with trash, had a partially collapsed roof, and was structurally unstable.
The alleged impersonation and takeover of the home came to light in early 2025 when a real estate group purchased the property from West's relatives. Sguros had filed paperwork with the county appraiser in February 2025 asserting his possession of the home. Subsequently, after the real estate group acquired deeds to the property, Sguros initiated a civil lawsuit against the company, seeking reimbursement for his renovation expenses.
Sguros faces charges including official misconduct and criminal use of deceased personal identification. He has been suspended from his position with the Lauderhill Police Department. Messages seeking comment were left with one of his attorneys and Sguros himself.