PLATTEVILLE — Twenty-one individuals, including 18 UW–Platteville students, were arrested on drug charges after a series of raids in the city May 2.

The charges include one or three counts each of manufacturing and delivery of marijuana, delivery of cocaine, possessing drug paraphernalia, and possessing mushrooms.

The arrests are the result of a 10-month-long investigation by the Richland–Iowa–Grant Drug Task Force that began last July, according to Task  Force Supervior and Chief Deputy Jack Johnson.

“We hope the community realizes that we’re not putting up with this,” Johnson said. “We know the buying and selling of drugs goes on in this city on a daily basis, and we won’t tolerate it.”

 The raids and arrests were conducted by Platteville, Dodgeville and Richland Center police; UW–Platteville police; the Grant, Iowa and Richland county sheriff’s departments; and the state Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation.

Search warrants were provided for two Platteville locations on 185 Center Street and 1460 Cody Park.

The charges stem from sales of drugs to undercover task force members, according to Johnson. The alleged drug sales took place between June 1 and April 11, according to court records.

Facing three counts each of manufacturing and delivery of THC (marijuana) are Peter A. Wycklendt, 21, 555 W. Main St.; Michael J. DePons, 21, 385 W. Pine St.; Craig A. Wilson, 19, Madison; Cole D. Durdan, 21, 1460 Cody Parkway #1; Austin S. Krueger, 20, 515 W. Main St.; Ashley K. Kloss, 21, Ixonia; Randall R. Runge, 23, Walworth; Gregory Becher, 21; Troy J. Frederick, 20, Eau Claire; Wesley L. Ertmer, 20, 20 College Dr. #21; and Michael G. Sahs, 21, 910 Union St. #4.

Ian D. Erickson, 21, 1460 Cody Parkway #1, faces charges of manufacture and delivery of THC, and possession of drug paraphernalia and marijuana.

The possession charges are misdemeanors.

Facing one count each of manufacture and delivery of THC are Ryan L. Schlosser, 22, 825 W. Madison St.; Ross A. Kopiske, 21, 760 Union St.; and Andrew J. Fells, 23, 90 E. Gridley St. #5.

The marijuana manufacture and delivery charges have a maximum penalty of 3½ years in prison and a $10,000 fine per count.

Chelsey Austin, 20, and Ryan Whitehead, 21, are charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.

Natalie Costello-Mikecz, 21, faces a charge of possession of mushrooms.

Preliminary hearings in Grant County Circuit Court in Lancaster for DePons, Krueger, Ertmer and Fells are set for May 25. Preliminary hearings for Wycklendt, Wilson, Durdan, Kloss, Runge, Frederick, Sahs, Schlosser, Erickson and Kopiske are set for May 30.

Three additional arrests were made following Wednesday’s major raid. Jared A. Otto, 20, of Waukesha County, was arrested for three counts of delivery of THC. Nicholas R. Rosenthal, 21, Galena, turned himself into the Platteville Police Department. He was charged with one count of delivery of cocaine.

Daniel JZ. Panella, 21, Waukesha County, turned himself into the Grant County Courthouse and was charged with one count of intent to deliver THS and one count of delivery of THC.

One outstanding warrant remains for Kamal T. Abdelrahim, Milwaukee, for one count of delivery of THC.