Lauderhill police officer accused of taking over dead man's home for years gets $25,000 bond

A police officer in Lauderhill, Florida, is accused of moving into the home of a man whose body he found during a welfare check, then spending years renovating it while using the dead man’s identity. Brian Louis Sguros, 35, was arrested Tuesday and appeared before a Broward County judge on Wednesday, Oct. 21, where he was granted a $25,000 bond, according to NBC News and WPLG Local 10. “Lauderhill” topped 50,000 US searches on Google Trends, with “police officer” the top related query.

The allegations come from a 21-page arrest affidavit by the Broward Sheriff’s Office. Sguros has not been convicted of any crime, and he is presumed innocent. NBC News said it was not clear whether he had an attorney; Local 10 reported that he appeared in court with a private attorney. Neither outlet reported a public response from him to the criminal charges.

What the Lauderhill police officer is charged with

According to NBC News and Local 10, Sguros faces five felony allegations:

• Official misconduct
• Criminal use of a deceased person’s identification
• Criminal use of personal identification information
• Offense against a computer user
• Unlawful use of a two-way communications device

He has been placed on administrative leave without pay by the Lauderhill Police Department.

The 2022 welfare check

On July 11, 2022, Sguros and another Lauderhill officer responded to a welfare check at the home of Dennis West, 71, after a neighbor said West had not been seen in about two weeks, Local 10 reported. Officers found West dead inside. The medical examiner ruled his death natural, caused by cardiovascular disease, according to the affidavit as reported by NBC News.

Investigators say Sguros presented himself to the medical examiner’s office as West’s friend, though the sheriff’s office said there is no indication the two knew each other. He also told the office that West had no living family, which authorities say was untrue. West had surviving relatives and legal heirs.

What investigators say happened next

According to the affidavit, as described by both outlets:

• Sguros stated in paperwork that he took possession of the home around Aug. 1, 2022, weeks after West died, and moved in with his partner.
• From August 2022 through February 2025, he cleaned and renovated the property. He claimed to have spent at least $214,000 of his own money and estimated the home was worth about $500,000 after the work.
• He paid property taxes and utilities while the home stayed in West’s name.
• Investigators say he searched law enforcement databases from his work computer for West’s driver’s license record seven times between July 2022 and January 2023, which exposed details including West’s address, date of birth and Social Security number.
• In August 2024, an $8,000 permit application to replace windows and exterior doors listed West as the homeowner, with his license information and a signature purportedly his. The phone number on it belonged to Sguros, investigators said, and a notary whose name appeared on the paperwork told detectives the signature was not hers.

In civil court filings, Sguros has maintained that he took over the property because it was hazardous and he wanted to prevent crime and squatting, NBC News reported, citing the affidavit.

How the case came to light

A real estate company, Equinox Realty Holdings, acquired the property from West’s heirs, and a Broward court recognized the heirs’ interests and the transfer, Local 10 reported. When a company employee went to take possession in the fall of 2025, they found Sguros there, according to NBC News.

Sguros surrendered the keys but demanded reimbursement for his repairs. In February 2026 he filed a civil lawsuit against the company seeking more than $200,000 for the work, according to the affidavit. In May, the company’s attorney filed a complaint with the Lauderhill Police Department. The case was then investigated by the Broward County Property Appraiser’s Deed Fraud Task Force and sheriff’s detectives.

Property Appraiser Marty Kiar told Local 10 the case was especially concerning because the officer reached the property through his police duties.

Wednesday’s court hearing

At the hearing, Sguros’ attorney said an agreement had been reached with prosecutors on bond, Local 10 reported. The judge ordered him to stay away from the property and have no contact with the family involved. After posting bond, Sguros left the Broward Main Jail wearing two surgical masks and ran from waiting cameras, the station reported.

No trial date or plea had been reported as of Thursday morning.

FAQ

Who is the Lauderhill police officer? Brian Louis Sguros, 35, according to the Broward Sheriff’s Office.

Is he still on the force? He is on unpaid administrative leave.

Has he been convicted? No. These are allegations in an arrest affidavit, and the case is in its early stages.