taking over a dead resident’s home

A Lauderhill Police officer accused of taking over a dead resident’s home and using their identity was arrested on Tuesday, authorities said.

Brian Sguros, 35, is facing several charges, including criminal use of a deceased person’s personal identification Information, criminal use of personal identification information, and offense against users of computers.

According to Lauderhill Police, an investigation that was launched on May 27 uncovered alleged conduct stemming from a July 2022 welfare check.

An arrest affidavit said Sguros and other officers responded to that welfare check in Lauderhill, where they found a resident who had died of natural causes.

"He saw the man had passed away and his body was decomposing," said Broward County property appraiser Marty Kiar.

A Lauderhill Police officer was accused of taking over a dead resident’s home and using their identity. NBC6's Steve Liz reports

Sguros was accused by investigators of then taking possession of 71-year-old David West's home without any legal right to it, the affidavit said.

"He called up the medical examiner and said he has no heirs; just give me the body. And the remains were given to him," Kiar said.

Sguros was accused of using the homeowner's identity and a notary’s name and seal on a City of Lauderhill building permit application. He was also accused of using West's cellphone to send those documents and using police computers without authorization to look up the deceased resident's records.

Officials said Sguros filed a lawsuit, claiming he spent more than $200,000 fixing up the home after West's death and later tried to own it.

Pictures from an arrest affidavit show a fake building permit and the driver’s license of the deceased homeowner that investigators say were used to fix up the property.

West's lawful heirs were later identified.

Sguros appeared in court on Wednesday, where a judge ordered him to stay away from the victim's home and family members. NBC6's cameras captured him running away from reporters after bonding out of jail.

After his arrest, Sguros was placed on administrative leave without pay, according to the Lauderhill Police Department.