Florida Officer Accused of Moving into Home of Man Whose Body He Found
Prosecutors allege a police officer discovered a deceased man, then occupied and renovated his home, even allegedly using the man's identity for permits.
A Florida police officer is facing multiple charges after allegedly moving into the home of a man whose body he discovered during a welfare check, prosecutors say. Brian Louis Sguros, 35, is accused of taking over the property and undertaking extensive renovations, while also allegedly using the deceased homeowner's identity to obtain building permits.
The incident began on July 11, 2022, when Sguros and another officer responded to a neighbor's call about Dennis Ionis West, who had not been seen for approximately two weeks. According to an arrest affidavit, the officers entered the unlocked home and found West's body near the entrance. An autopsy later determined West died of cardiovascular disease, with his death ruled natural.
Investigators allege that shortly after discovering the body, Sguros began identifying himself as West's friend to the medical examiner's office and offered to arrange funeral services, despite West having surviving family members. Prosecutors claim Sguros took possession of the house around August 1, 2022, just three weeks after West's body was found.
Sguros reportedly claimed to have spent more than two years cleaning, securing, and renovating the property, investing over $214,000 of his own money to protect it from squatters and criminal activity. He also paid property taxes and utility bills, which remained in West's name.
Allegations of Identity Theft and Misconduct
Prosecutors allege that in August 2024, an application for an $8,000 project to replace the home's windows and exterior doors was submitted. The application reportedly listed West as the owner, included his driver's license information, and bore a signature purported to be his, despite West having been deceased for over two years. The telephone number provided on the application was allegedly Sguros'.
An employee of the renovation company told detectives that Sguros had supplied the documents for the building permit, including a copy of West's driver's license, leading the employee to believe West was alive and owned the property. Detectives also reviewed text messages allegedly containing images of West's identification and the permit paperwork. The notary whose name appeared on the documents denied recognizing the paperwork or the signature.
Investigators also examined whether Sguros used his police access to obtain information about West. Records allegedly show that between July 2022 and January 2023, Sguros conducted seven searches on a Lauderhill Police Department computer for West's driver's license and vehicle registration details. These searches yielded personal information, including West's address, date of birth, Social Security number, and vehicle information. One search in January 2023 specifically identified West as deceased.
Legal Battles and Arrest
The legal ownership of the property became contentious. In February 2025, Sguros and another individual filed paperwork seeking to establish adverse possession. Subsequently, Equinox Realty Holdings located West's heirs, acquired their ownership interests, and a Broward County court recognized these interests.
Sguros eventually surrendered the keys to the property. However, he filed a civil lawsuit in February 2026 seeking an equitable lien against the house, citing his alleged investment in its renovation.
The company's attorney raised concerns with the Lauderhill Police Department about Sguros's involvement with the house and his alleged use of information obtained through his official duties. The investigation involved the Broward County Property Appraiser’s Deed Fraud Task Force and Broward Sheriff’s Office detectives.
Sguros was arrested on Tuesday and faces five criminal charges: official misconduct, criminal use of a deceased person’s identification information, criminal use of personal identification information, an offense against a computer user, and unlawful use of a two-way communications device.
Broward County Property Appraiser Marty Kiar described the allegations as troubling, stating, "This case is so troubling because this officer has been charged with using his position to defraud the public." He credited the county’s Crimes Against Property team and the Broward Sheriff’s Office for their investigation.