An Oregon man who was living in a crawlspace under a family’s townhouse for almost three months without the family’s knowledge was sentenced to three years in prison on Tuesday, May 26.

A jury found Beniamin Bucur, 41, guilty of first-degree burglary after deliberating for around 20 minutes, the Clackamas County District Attorney’s office said.

The case came to light on Sept. 3, 2025, when a neighbor noticed an intruder enter the crawlspace of a townhouse on in the city of Happy Valley and called police.

At the home, officers used a tool to breach the crawlspace door and discovered “an elaborate living space complete with lights, a kitchen and a gaming area.”

Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office

According to a district attorney’s office press release, the makeshift home had “a network of power cords that connected to the resident’s electrical service.”

Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office

The family — a married couple and their young daughter — were “unaware of his presence,” the release states.

“Using the cover of darkness, the defendant snuck into the crawlspace of this family’s home, moved in his belongings, including multiple televisions, gaming consoles, cooking burners — he even hung string lights — racking up the electricity usage while the family unknowingly footed the bill,” said Deputy District Attorney Tiffany Escover, who prosecuted the case, in a statement on Wednesday, May 27.

Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office

Inside the crawlspace, investigators allegedly discovered a sword, multiple knives and a pipe containing methamphetamine residue.

His attorney could not be reached for comment.

“For two and a half months, Beniamin Bucur was the roommate the family never knew they had,” Escover said.

According to the district attorney’s office, Bucur is also facing additional burglary charges in Washington County.