SURRY COUNTY, NC – A North Carolina Republican official is facing multiple felony charges after allegedly attempting to drug his two granddaughters by placing illegal substances into their ice cream.
James Edwin Yokeley Jr., 66, the now-former Chair of the Surry County Board of Elections, was arrested on August 8 after a disturbing incident involving two young children.
Yokeley initially flagged down Wilmington Police at a Sheetz gas station on Shipyard Blvd, claiming he had found two suspicious pills inside the girls’ ice cream treats. However, video evidence later revealed that he was the one who placed the pills in the desserts.
Preliminary testing of the pills suggested the presence of MDMA and cocaine, but samples have been sent to a local lab for further analysis. Fortunately, medical personnel confirmed that neither child ingested the substances.
Police now believe the drugging was intentional, and Yokeley has been charged with:
Felony child abuse
Contaminating food/drink with a controlled substance
Felony possession of Schedule I narcotics
He is currently being held on a $100,000 bond at the local detention center.
Yokeley had recently been appointed Chair of the Surry County Board of Elections for the 2025–2027 term by Republican State Auditor Dave Boliek.
Boliek responded swiftly, stating:
“The arrest and investigation of the Surry County Board of Elections Chair is very disturbing… He needs to resign, and Surry County needs a new Board of Elections Chair.”
Just 30 minutes after Boliek’s public statement, Yokeley submitted his resignation. The Surry County Board of Elections is expected to appoint a new chair in the coming days.
This shocking case is still under active investigation.
