Lauderhill Officer Charged in Deceased Homeowner Case

Lauderhill police officer Brian Louis Sguros was arrested Tuesday and charged with five offenses over allegations that he took possession of a deceased homeowner’s property, used the man’s identity and accessed personal records through police systems. Sguros has not been convicted, and the allegations have not been tested at trial. The Broward Sheriff’s Office alleges Sguros moved into Dennis Ionis West’s home without legal authority after West died in July 2022. West, 71, was found dead near the entrance of his home after a neighbor requested a welfare check. Officials determined he died of natural causes from cardiovascular disease. Investigators say Sguros, then 35, told the medical examiner’s office he was West’s friend and that West had no surviving family. The sheriff’s office said West did have heirs. Sguros was one of the officers who responded to the welfare check. The charges listed by investigators are official misconduct, criminal use of a deceased person’s personal identification information, criminal use of personal identification information, an offense against a computer user and unlawful use of a two-way communication device. The sheriff’s office also alleges...