A North Carolina man, who also serves as a local election board leader, was recently arrested on charges of attempting to drug his two young granddaughters. James E. Yokeley Jr., 66, was taken into custody and faces multiple felony charges, including contaminating food or drink with a controlled substance, child abuse, and possession of a Schedule I narcotic.
The incident unfolded on August 8 when Yokeley flagged down a patrolling officer at a Sheetz gas station in Wilmington. He reported that his granddaughters had discovered two hard objects in their ice cream, which they had bought from a nearby Dairy Queen. Emergency medical personnel were immediately dispatched to the scene to evaluate the children. They determined that neither child had consumed any of the substances found in the ice cream.
The Wilmington Police Department collected the two pills for testing. Preliminary field tests suggested that the pills were illegal narcotics. The pills have since been sent to a state lab for further analysis. Initial tests indicated that the pills contained cocaine and MDMA, commonly known as “molly.”
Despite Yokeley’s initial report, investigators found evidence suggesting that he was the one who had attempted to drug the children. Video footage from the investigation revealed that Yokeley had placed the pills into the ice cream. Following his arrest, Yokeley was taken to the New Hanover County Detention Center for processing. He was later released after posting a $100,000 secured bond.
The investigation into the incident is still ongoing. Yokeley, a Republican, was appointed by State Auditor Dave Boliek in June to serve as the chair of the Surry County Board of Elections. His term is set to run until 2027.
The North Carolina State Board of Elections and the Surry County Board of Elections have acknowledged the charges against Yokeley. They have pledged to continue gathering information about the situation and to provide support to the Surry County board to ensure the continuity of services to the county’s voters.