In a scandal that has sent shockwaves through North Carolina’s political landscape, James Edwin Yokeley Jr., a 66-year-old former chairman of the Surry County Board of Elections, was arrested last week after police say he spiked two minors’ ice cream with illegal drugs. The incident, which unfolded at a Dairy Queen near Wilmington, has not only led to criminal charges but also forced Yokeley’s abrupt resignation and raised troubling questions about trust in local officials.
The story began on the evening of August 3, 2025, when Yokeley took his 16-year-old step-granddaughter and her 15-year-old friend to a Dairy Queen, according to the Wilmington Police Department (WPD). The girls, who were looking forward to a simple summer treat, instead found themselves at the center of a harrowing ordeal. After receiving their Blizzards—those classic cups of frozen custard mixed with candy—the teens discovered two blue pressed pills hidden inside their desserts.
Lieutenant Greg Willett, a spokesperson for the WPD, explained during a Friday press conference that the girls were "very upset, very concerned, panicked" upon making the discovery. Acting quickly, the 16-year-old step-granddaughter, who was driving, pulled into a nearby Sheetz gas station after spotting an EMS vehicle. She and her friend alerted paramedics to the situation, prompting a swift response from local police.
When officers arrived, they conducted preliminary street tests on the pills, which came back positive for MDMA and cocaine. Detective Kevin Tully of the WPD emphasized that these were not conclusive results, noting, “It’s just getting to the point where it’s isolated, identifying exactly what drugs are there—that’s in progress right now with the lab.” The pills were sent to the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office crime lab for further analysis, with results expected in about a month.
Initially, Yokeley himself flagged down officers at the gas station, claiming his granddaughters had found hard objects in their ice cream. But the story quickly unraveled. Investigators reviewed Dairy Queen security footage which, as reported by NBC News and corroborated by the WPD, showed Yokeley “placing something on the counter” and, while no one was looking, slipping the pills into the girls’ Blizzards. The teens, who had remained in the car while Yokeley purchased the ice cream, did not initially suspect him. Police have stated that the video evidence is clear, but they are withholding its release until the case is adjudicated.
Yokeley was arrested on August 26, 2025, and charged with contaminating food or drink with a controlled substance, felony child abuse, and felony possession of Schedule I narcotics. He was booked at the New Hanover County Courthouse and released the same day after posting a $100,000 secured bond. Police confirmed that neither of the girls consumed the tainted ice cream, and both are safe. The WPD is working with the Department of Social Services to ensure their ongoing well-being.
The fallout was swift. State Auditor Dave Boliek, who had appointed Yokeley as chairman of the Surry County Board of Elections in July, called for his resignation as soon as news of the arrest broke. By Thursday, Yokeley had stepped down, releasing a statement in which he denied wrongdoing. “This decision has not been made lightly. After much prayer, thoughtful reflection and consultation, I have concluded that it’s in the best interest of the State Board of Elections and Surry County Board of Elections, regarding my own falsely accused circumstances, to step down at this time,” Yokeley wrote in his resignation letter, obtained by NBC News. He added, “Based on the truth and facts, I remain prayerfully confident that I will be exonerated of all accusations levied against me.”
Boliek, for his part, stated that Yokeley’s departure would allow the board to “move forward with the process of appointing a replacement” without distraction. The Surry County Board of Elections now faces the task of rebuilding public trust amid the fallout from the incident.
Yokeley’s political career has been marked by controversy. Before his appointment as elections board chair, he ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the Surry County Board of Education in 2022. His campaign, as reported by NBC News and The New York Post, focused heavily on national COVID-19 policies and conspiracy theories about the validity of the 2020 federal election—issues that many local voters found puzzling in the context of a school board race. Even after losing the primary, Yokeley continued to post on social media about alleged dangers of COVID vaccines and accused “big pharma” and the federal government of hiding the truth. These claims were unsupported by evidence.
As the investigation continues, the WPD has indicated it will be “looking into any aspect that could branch off of this investigation, any kind of behaviors that we can discover that led up to this incident, and during the incident,” according to Willett. Additional interviews and follow-up work are ongoing, but authorities say the core facts of the case are well established. “There’s a lot of loose ends,” Willett admitted, “but nothing that will really change where we’re already at.”
Meanwhile, the community is left to grapple with the shock of the allegations. The fact that the accused is a former public official with a history of promoting divisive conspiracy theories has only heightened the sense of unease. While the full motives behind Yokeley’s actions remain unclear, the evidence gathered so far paints a troubling picture—one that has left parents, voters, and public officials alike searching for answers.
For now, the focus remains on the safety and recovery of the two young victims, as well as the ongoing legal process. The Surry County Board of Elections, under new leadership, will be working to restore confidence in its operations. And as the state lab’s final results are awaited, all eyes remain on the unfolding case—one that has already left an indelible mark on North Carolina’s political and civic life.
In the end, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the responsibilities entrusted to public officials and the importance of vigilance, transparency, and accountability in even the most seemingly routine moments of community life.
