Welcome to Arrest Stories. A sixty-six-year-old North Carolina elections official stands accused of contaminating his granddaughters' ice cream treats with dangerous narcotics in a shocking case that has rocked the community. Here's what may have happened.
On August eighth, James Yokeley Junior flagged down a police officer at a Sheetz gas station in Wilmington to report a disturbing discovery. The chair of the Surry County Board of Elections told authorities his granddaughters had found pills in their Dairy Queen Blizzards purchased from the Oleander Drive location.
What started as an apparent report quickly transformed into a criminal investigation when the blue pressed pills tested positive for both MDMA and cocaine. The situation took a dramatic turn when investigators reviewed video footage from the ice cream shop, which allegedly showed Yokeley himself placing the two pills into his granddaughters' frozen treats.
According to officials, "Medical personnel checked the two juveniles. It was determined that they had not ingested any of the substances." The girls discovered the foreign objects before consuming the contaminated desserts, potentially preventing a medical emergency.
The pills were immediately sent to the state laboratory for comprehensive testing to confirm the preliminary results. Investigators determined that Yokeley had deliberately contaminated the ice cream with controlled substances, leading to felony child abuse charges.
Yokeley, who was appointed to chair the Surry County Board of Elections in June of twenty twenty-five, appeared in court on August twenty-seventh and waived his right to court-appointed representation. He was released on a one hundred thousand dollar secured bond.
The State Board of Elections issued a statement acknowledging the charges, saying they "will continue to collect information about the situation and will provide support to the Surry County board, as needed, to ensure it is able to continue serving the county's voters."
The case has sent shockwaves through both the local community and election oversight circles, raising serious questions about the trusted official's alleged actions.
All suspects presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Do not take this report as factual, always verify facts. Thanks for watching Arrest Stories.