Williamson County moving scam nets North Texas man 8 years in prison
Jonathan Ruiz Oviedo (Williamson County Jail)
WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas - A North Texas man at the center of a Cedar Park moving scam has been sentenced to 8 years in prison in Williamson County.
31-year-old Jonathan Ruiz Oviedo of Lewisville was convicted of third-degree felony theft from the elderly after scamming an 80-year-old Cedar Park woman out of her belongings and money. He was also ordered to pay a $5,000 fine.
According to the Williamson County District Attorney's office, the woman hired Oviedo to help her move in August 2021 after she saw him working on another moving job in her apartment complex. Posing as a representative of the moving company, Oviedo agreed to move and store her belongings for several months.
In exchange, the woman paid $600 in cash, but he never returned her property, which included jewelry, clothing, dinnerware, cookware, silverware, décor, and furniture valued at approximately $26,000.
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The woman's daughter also attempted to contact Oviedo in order to locate her mother's property but was unsuccessful. Oviedo demanded more money to release the property, but failed several times to show up at arranged times. The DA's office says he also lied to Cedar Park police when they attempted to intervene.
In Feb. 2023, Oviedo was arrested on unrelated charges in Denton County and was brought to Williamson County on a bench warrant. He was ordered by a judge to return the woman's property and was released on an ankle monitor. However, he still did not comply and was arrested again in September.
Oviedo also has a criminal history that includes prior convictions for possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, and attempted burglary.