Arrest and court appearance
Sguros, an officer with the Lauderhill Police Department in Broward County, was arrested on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, NBC News reported. He faces five felony charges: 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.
At a court appearance on Wednesday, October 21, he was ordered held on a $25,000 bond. The department placed him on unpaid administrative leave following his arrest.
From a welfare check to a home takeover
Dennis West, 71, was discovered dead in his Lauderhill home during a welfare check on July 11, 2022. The medical examiner attributed his death to natural causes, specifically arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
The Broward County Sheriff's Office says Sguros told the medical examiner's office he was West's friend, despite investigators finding no indication that the two knew each other. He also falsely said West had no surviving family, authorities said.
According to the arrest affidavit described by NBC News, investigators found repeated searches for West's driver's license record in law enforcement databases using Sguros' work computer. The records provided personal details including West's address, birth date and Social Security number.
In paperwork he filed, Sguros said he took possession of the house in August 2022, just weeks after West's death. The affidavit describes cleaning and repairs from that month through February 2025. Sguros claimed to have put at least $214,000 of his own money into the property; Townhall described the renovation spending as nearly $220,000.
Authorities say Sguros paid the property's taxes and utility bills under West's name. He is also accused of signing West's name on a city permit application.
A property sale and a civil dispute
The alleged takeover emerged after a real estate company purchased the house from West's heirs in 2025, according to the affidavit. Probate proceedings gave the company lawful possession in the fall of that year. An employee then went to take possession of the property and encountered Sguros.
Sguros filed a civil complaint against the company in February, asking for more than $200,000 for work he said he had done on the house. In that litigation, he maintained that he took possession because the property was hazardous and that he wanted to keep out squatters and prevent criminal activity.
