A serial squatter, Heather Ruybal, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for fraud after a history spanning decades and multiple states, which included nearly three dozen evictions under various aliases. Ruybal was found guilty on July 27 of felony fraud for using a false name and writing a bad check to lease a home in Rowlett, Texas, in 2023.
Dallas County Assistant District Attorney Amber Moore stated that Ruybal made a living by leasing properties with no intention of paying rent and exploiting the eviction process. Moore noted that Ruybal’s track record indicated a lack of remorse for her actions.
In the Texas case, Ruybal used her father's identity to rent a property under the alias Heather Schwab. She subsequently failed to pay any rent. The homeowner, Jessica Davis, reported that upon Ruybal’s departure after several months, the home was left with a strong odor of urine and cigarette smoke, and was covered in trash and debris. Davis stated that the toilets were clogged with waste. The loss of rental income forced Davis to default on her mortgage payments, leading to the loss of her home.
Ruybal was ordered to pay $40,000 in restitution to Davis. Prosecutors uncovered Ruybal's extensive criminal history, revealing she had been involved in serial fraud across Texas and Colorado for over two decades, with approximately 36 evictions on record.
Moore indicated that Ruybal's prior conviction in 2018, where she used her father's and aunt's identities to secure a lease in Colorado, allowed for an enhanced sentence. In Colorado, Ruybal received a six-year prison sentence but was released after serving just over three years. Moore characterized Ruybal as a "career criminal."
Another landlord in Colorado, Stephanie Williams, reported that Ruybal allegedly contaminated her property with methamphetamine after renting a home in 2024. Williams also stated that Ruybal moved out but continued paying rent for a period, and it was discovered that Ruybal's son had been living in the property without permission while Ruybal resided in Castle Rock, Colorado, where she also ceased paying rent around the same time.
Ruybal is expected to serve at least five years of her 20-year sentence before becoming eligible for parole. Moore expressed hope that the sentence sends a message that such actions will no longer go unpunished.
Additionally, Ruybal faces felony charges in Denver related to accusations of stealing over $500,000 from a former employer. She allegedly worked as a payroll manager and bookkeeper for nearly two years at an unidentified company, diverting payments to fictitious employees and a shell company that were linked to her own bank accounts. Ruybal made her initial court appearance for this case on Tuesday. She is currently in custody at the Dallas County Jail.