HAPPY VALLEY — Beniamin Bucur was sentenced to 36 months in prison for first-degree burglary after living undetected in the crawlspace of a townhome in Happy Valley, Oregon, for two and a half months. He was discovered on September 3, 2023, following a neighbor’s report and a search authorized by the homeowners.

Bucur had resided beneath the home of a married couple and their young daughter without their knowledge. Deputies found him after the neighbor reported seeing someone enter the space. Inside, investigators discovered a furnished living area with string lights powered by cords plugged into the townhome’s electrical system. The setup included multiple TVs, gaming consoles, and cooking burners. Authorities also recovered a sword, knives, and a pipe containing methamphetamine residue.

“For two and a half months, Beniamin Bucur was the roommate the family never knew they had,” said Tiffany Escovar, the deputy district attorney who prosecuted the case.

Court records show Bucur has prior convictions for burglary, criminal trespass, theft, and resisting arrest, most of which occurred in 2018. He was also convicted in 2022 of fourth-degree assault, harassment, and second-degree criminal mischief. While on supervised release in the Happy Valley case, Bucur faces additional burglary charges in Washington County related to an unrelated incident.

The act of secretly living inside a home’s hidden spaces—such as walls, attics, or crawlspaces—is colloquially known as “phrogging.”