A Republican official in North Carolina is facing serious charges after police say he put illegal drugs into his grandchildren’s ice cream.
James Yokeley, 66, who currently serves as chair of the Surry County Board of Elections, was arrested this week and charged with multiple felonies, including contaminating food with a controlled substance, felony child abuse, and possession of Schedule I narcotics.
According to the Wilmington Police Department, Yokeley flagged down an officer outside a Sheetz convenience store and claimed his two granddaughters had discovered pills inside their Dairy Queen Blizzards. Tests later revealed the substances were MDMA and cocaine, though the children had not ingested them.
Investigators reviewed surveillance footage, which they say showed Yokeley himself placing the pills into the ice cream treats before giving them to the children.
Yokeley appeared in court on Wednesday. A judge has barred him from having any contact with his grandchildren while the case proceeds, according to NBC affiliate WECT. The narcotics have been sent to a state lab for further testing.
The North Carolina State Board of Elections and the Surry County elections board acknowledged the arrest in a joint statement, noting they were “aware” of the charges.
“We 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 statement said.
Yokeley was appointed chair of the county elections board in June 2025. He had previously sought elected office, running unsuccessfully in the 2022 Republican primary for a seat on the Surry County school board.
In 2023, he joined the Surry County election board after replacing a dismissed member who had attempted to delay certification of election results — part of a wave of controversies surrounding local officials aligned with false claims of election fraud.
Yokeley remains under investigation and faces multiple felony counts that could carry significant prison time if convicted. The case has drawn widespread attention, not only for its disturbing allegations but also because of Yokeley’s role in overseeing elections in the swing state of North Carolina.
Credit: wect.com, Huffpost
