COLUMBUS, OHIO — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Ohio, Southern), published as received.
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A high-level narcotics trafficker was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 240 months in prison for drug and gun crimes.
David Ector, 51, of Columbus, pleaded guilty in October 2025 to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute narcotics, illegally possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon and conspiring to commit money laundering.
According to court documents, between 2012 and 2024, Ector generated millions of dollars through illicit drug sales. Ector served as a source of supply of large quantities of cocaine, heroin and fentanyl to drug traffickers operating on the west side of Columbus. Ector would also fly to California to obtain bulk amounts of narcotics to send back to Ohio.
Investigations by the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force (COHTTF), Columbus Division of Police, Ohio Attorney General's Office (AGO) Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission (OOCIC) and High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, and Internal Revenue Service- Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) revealed that Ector kept notes in his cell phone that contained coded references to drug sales and a ledger including nicknames for individuals and how much money they owed.
Ector conspired to launder proceeds of his drug trafficking, in part through a front business called “Daze Auto Sales.” The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles has no records of the business ever buying, selling or owning any vehicles in Ohio. He also orchestrated numerous deposits of money to various bank accounts and obtained properties. One of those properties that Ector purchased with drug trafficking proceeds was a multiunit apartment building in Columbus being utilized as a sober living facility.
As a part of his plea agreement, the Court ordered the forfeiture of two real properties owned by Ector as well as five firearms, a Cartier watch and a Rolex watch.
Ector was charged by a bill of information in October 2025.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the sentence imposed on Sept. 22 by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Czerniejewski and Timothy D. Prichard are representing the United States in this case.
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