Dennis West, 71, was found dead in his Florida home in July 2022 during a welfare check. A few weeks later, one of the police officers who discovered his body decided to steal the man’s identity by forging his signature, paying his taxes, and taking possession of and renovating his home, authorities say.
Brian Louis Sguros, an officer with the Lauderhill Police Department, was arrested Tuesday after he “created a complex scheme to take control” of the dead man’s house, according to the Broward County Sheriff’s Office. Sguros, 35, was arrested on felony charges of official misconduct, criminal use of a deceased person’s identification, criminal use of personal identification information, offense against a computer user, and unlawful use of a two-way communications device.
Detectives said Sguros “became involved in West’s post-death affairs” and represented himself to the county medical examiner’s office as West’s friend, though there is no indication he knew him. Sguros said that West, who died of natural causes, had no living family, which was not true.
The investigation also found that Sguros paid the taxes and utilities for the house under West’s name and got approval to renovate...