Serial squatter receives 20-year fraud sentence after dozens of evictions

In Dallas, Heather Ruybal received a 20-year prison sentence, the harshest penalty allowed, after being found guilty of felony fraud for using a fabricated name and a bad check to secure a lease in 2023. Prosecutors highlighted a history of nearly three dozen evictions, multiple aliases, and extensive property damage in both Texas and Colorado. The court also mandated $40,000 in restitution to Jessica Davis, who rented a Rowlett home to Ruybal under a false identity and later discovered the property contaminated with urine, cigarette smoke, and debris.

Ruybal's prior 2018 conviction in Colorado, where she used family members' identities to obtain a lease, was cited to enhance her sentence. Additional allegations include contaminating a Colorado rental with methamphetamine and ongoing felony charges in Denver for alleged payroll fraud exceeding $500,000. She will likely serve at least five years before becoming eligible for parole.