A Texas woman convicted of using a false identity to secure a rental property without paying rent has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after prosecutors persuaded a judge that the offense was part of a much larger pattern spanning more than two decades, Denver7.com reported. According to Dallas County prosecutors, Heather Ruybal, who was charged in the case under the name Heather Schwab, received the maximum sentence Aug. 31 following her fraud conviction in Dallas County.
The conviction stemmed from a 2023 rental agreement involving a four-bedroom home in Rowlett, a suburb northeast of Dallas. Prosecutors said Ruybal used her father’s identity to apply for the property, signed his name on leasing documents and moved into the home without making rent payments. Authorities said what initially appeared to be a landlord-tenant dispute ultimately became a criminal fraud case. Yahoo! Finance said.
The home’s owner, Jessica Davis, had listed the property for rent after relocating. According to prosecutors and previous reporting, removing Ruybal from the house took months as eviction proceedings moved through the legal system. Assistant District Attorney Amber Moore said Ruybal’s familiarity with the eviction process allowed her to remain in properties for extended periods while disputes worked their way through court. \…