Officer who found man dead in home allegedly assumed his identity

Dennis West was found dead in his Florida home during a welfare check in July 2022. Weeks later, one of the responding officers who discovered his body moved into the home and spent years impersonating him, according to investigators.

Brian Louis Sguros, 35, an officer with the Lauderhill Police Department, was arrested Tuesday and faces several felony charges: official misconduct, criminal use of deceased person’s identification, criminal use of personal identification information, offense against a computer user, and unlawful use of a two-way communication device.

It’s not clear whether Sguros has obtained an attorney.

The Broward County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release that Sguros responded to the welfare check at West’s home on July 11, 2022. West, 71, was found dead inside, and his death was determined to be from natural causes, the news release stated.

In paperwork Sguros allegedly filed, he admitted he took possession of the home in August 2022, weeks after West died, the release states.

Sguros presented himself to the county medical examiner’s office as West’s friend, though there is no indication that Sguros knew West, according to the sheriff’s office. He also told the office that West had no living family, which is untrue, authorities said.

Authorities said Sguros paid taxes and utilities on the home in West’s name. He is also accused of using West’s identification to “get the city of Lauderhill to issue a permit to facilitate repairs,” the release states. He allegedly used law enforcement databases to obtain information about West and forged West’s signature on a permit.

Sguros appeared in court on Wednesday and was ordered held on a $25,000 bond, NBC South Florida reported. After his arrest, he was placed on administrative leave without pay from the Lauderhill Police Department.