COLUMBUS, Ohio – In a major blow to the local drug trade, Patricia Flesch, 36, also known as ‘Panda,’ was sentenced to 135 months in prison for conspiring to traffic bulk amounts of narcotics in central Ohio.
According to court documents, Flesch was a well-known mid-level drug dealer in the Columbus area, distributing fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine to local users and other dealers between September 2020 and June 2023.
Flesch used houses and motels throughout the region to store drugs and facilitate drug transactions. She ran several drug premises, including her apartment on Hilton Avenue and other residences on Franshire Drive, East 14th Avenue, and Helen Street.
Law enforcement observed Flesch travel to different motels in Columbus and back to Helen Street nearly 440 times between March 16 and April 6, 2023. Her Facebook account also revealed her coordination of the delivery of 10 to 15 pounds of methamphetamine weekly from a source in Texas.
Flesch was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2024 and pleaded guilty in October 2025 to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and cocaine.
The sentence was announced by Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Joseph O. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Detroit.
The investigation was coordinated with the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, and the Columbus and Pickerington police departments.
Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Pakiz and Jennifer M. Rausch represented the United States in this case.
Flesch’s 11-year prison sentence is a significant blow to the local drug trade, and law enforcement agencies hope it will serve as a deterrent to others involved in similar activities.
Related Federal Cases
- Rashaad J. Doyle, Heroin Possession with Intent to Distribute and Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Ohio 2012 · Wisconsin
- Brent A. Horvath, Marijuana Distribution Conspiracy, Ohio 2011 · Texas
- Deangelo Young, Maintaining a Residence for Distributing Crack Cocaine, Ohio 2018 · Wisconsin
- Guadalupe J. Zarate, Possession with Intent to Distribute, Ohio 2014 · Texas
- Richard Scales, Crack Cocaine Trafficking, Ohio 2012 · Texas
Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
Drug TraffickingDrug TraffickingDrug TraffickingDrug Trafficking