Lauderhill officer is accused of living as a dead man in his house for four years

A police officer in Lauderhill FL is behind bars after investigators say he quietly stepped into the life of a man who died on a call he helped answer.

Deputies with the Broward County Sheriff's Office arrested Officer Brian Louis Sguros on Tuesday. He is being held with no bail.

A welfare check in 2022

Dennis West was 71 when he was discovered dead inside his home on July 11, 2022. He had died of cardiovascular disease. Sguros was one of the backup officers who went to the house for the welfare check that day.

Investigators claim Sguros later contacted the medical examiner and described himself as a friend of West. They say he also claimed West had no family. Officials say that was not true.

Moving in

Authorities say Sguros then took up residence in the house. They claim he pulled a permit in West's name to remodel the place. For four years he allegedly kept the taxes and utility bills paid under West's identity as well.

Deputies also allege he used his own law enforcement login to run searches on West in police databases. In February 2025 he reportedly submitted county paperwork stating that he had been in possession of the home since August 2022.

The charges

Sguros faces counts of fraud and falsifying official documents. He is also charged with computer crimes to obtain property along with using two-way communication devices to help commit a felony.