Area law enforcement officers made good on an ongoing drug investigation this week, arresting an Iowa State student for possession and delivery of cocaine and marijuana.

Derrick Scott Cole, 20, 215 Jewel Drive #8, was arrested Tuesday outside the Memorial Union and charged with possession of lesser amounts of cocaine and marijuana, said Sgt. Randy Kessel, public information officer of the Ames Police Department.

After his arrest, he also was charged with two counts each of delivery of a controlled substance and prohibitive acts.

Kessel said Cole’s arrest was part of an investigation by the Central Iowa Drug Task Force, comprised of officers from Ames police, the Story County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Public Safety.

Two days prior to Cole’s arrest, the task force performed an undercover investigation, during which officers purchased cocaine from Cole, sophomore in art and design, said DPS Capt. John Tinker, manager of the task force.

“His arrest was made as a result of the undercover drug investigation,” Tinker said.

After the purchase was made, warrants were issued for Cole’s arrest under charges of delivery of a controlled substance and prohibitive acts, Tinker said.

“If we’re doing an undercover, we make a buy from an individual, and we don’t arrest them right then and there,” he said.

On Tuesday, an Ames police officer spotted and observed Cole on Union Drive and was able to arrest him, Tinker said.

“They searched the vehicle and found cocaine and marijuana both in the vehicle,” he said.

Cole was taken to the Story County jail and bond was set at $36,000, Kessel said. Cole was still in jail Thursday afternoon.

Neighbors of Cole said they were not aware of any drug-related activity, but they said they were not surprised to find out he had been arrested on possession charges.

“I never thought it was strange,” said Ryan Hoelscher, 215 Jewel Drive #3. “There were just a bunch of guys hanging out here one night in the parking lot.”

Stephanie Leazer, senior in animal science, 215 Jewel Drive #4, lives directly beneath the apartment occupied by Cole and his roommates.

“They were always nice,” said Leazer, senior in animal science. “They would turn their music down when we ask them to.”

Leazer said the only suspicious thing she noticed about the tenants of #8 was that “one of them has a cool car.”