A woman known for a slew of evictions over nearly two decades in Colorado and Texas is facing up to 20 years in prison after a recent conviction in Dallas County court on fraud charges.
Heather Ruybal, who was charged in Texas under the name Heather Schwab, was found guilty July 27 of felony fraud for using a false name and writing a bad check to lease a house in 2023.
▶️ D7 Investigates reports as Heather Ruybal faces up to 20 years in prison in Dallas
The Dallas County District Attorney’s Office confirmed the conviction and that Ruybal was taken into custody. She’s currently in the Dallas County jail awaiting sentencing on Aug. 31.
Ruybal was also recently charged in Denver with felony theft for allegedly stealing roughly $500,000 from a previous employer. Her case is still active and she is scheduled to appear in court Sept. 1. It’s not clear how her conviction in Dallas will impact the Denver case. She could face up to 12 years in prison in that case.
Her sentence range is enhanced in Texas because she previously served prison time in Colorado for identity theft after a 2018 conviction, according to the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office.
She was also sentenced to probation Adams County in 2023 after pleading guilty to theft charges in another fraud case.
Denver7 Investigates has reported on Heather Ruybal for more than two months, speaking with multiple landlords who say that she moved in under false pretenses, using different names and, eventually, failing to pay rent.
One landlord, Stephanie Williams, found her home was contaminated with methamphetamine after Ruybal had moved out months earlier and her 31-year-old son moved in and was later arrested on different charges.
Williams told Denver7 Investigates this week that she is happy to see Ruybal convicted of a crime and behind bars.
Ruybal’s attorney in Dallas declined to comment.
