NC - NC county elections chair accused of putting cocaine, MDMA in granddaughters' ice cream,8 August 2025

[katydid23]

I think it depends upon how old the girls were. If they were 6, 7 or 8, he could throw out the pills and explain it away.

But if they were 10 12, 13 or more, then he couldn't easily do that. And I think they might have been older because they noticed and recognised the problem. I think that if the girls were old enough to realise it was drugs spiking their shakes, they were probably saying 'Hey, lets go show the police what happened" ---Grandpa had no choice?

I don't think it was about targeting DQ. If he made a very public claim about DQ in an effort to sue them, whoever sold him those pills would be blackmailing him, for sure. He'd never get away with that if he won a settlement. IMO

OK, so it happened at 10pm and the victims were 15 and 16? It was sexual motivation, IMO. I have no doubts now.

He was putting the pills in the shakes inside the store, away from the girls seeing him. That's who he was trying to fool.

If he was going to sue DQ he'd have put the pills in outside, away from the employees. imo

He was a perv up to no good and those girls are lucky to find this out now before it was too late, imo.

 

[wendybtn]

SBM

My gut reaction is that of shock seeing that this lady is protecting her husband, but I can rationalise that denial may be strong especially towards a person you have been with for a long time (if that is indeed the case).

However, it's quite disgusting to see her response: she had no intention of hearing her granddaughter out? I mean, legally you shouldn't speak about the case anyway, but it sounds like a very dismissive and nasty response toward an alleged victim (who btw is her relative and a minor) who you think is reaching out to you, especially when your husband is accused of being the monster who did this to her.
I would probably be mortified and ashamed if I was Jan, but she almost sounds blasé about it.

MOO

It's his step granddaughter, anyway His wife has probably known about many other similar 'incidents' over the years with others.

 

[Alcina]

It's his step granddaughter, anyway His wife has probably known about many other similar 'incidents' over the years with others.

I definitely agree! Is the text he sent from his wife's phone available anywhere? I keep seeing reference to it but not what it actually says.

 

[New Penny]

That is terrifying and certainly a possibility.

But if the granddaughters discovered the pills, the grandfather didn't have to alert police. He could've just thrown everything away and gone somewhere else for ice cream. He purposely called attention to the pills, and that's why I think he was targeting the DQ employees for some unknown reason.

I still want to know where Pops got the pills.

jmopinion

Well, for one thing, the children were old enough to go home and tell mom and dad, who (probably/most likely) would notify the authorities.

Grandpa, is ATTEMPTING DAMAGE CONTROL. However his motive is perplexing.

MOO

 

[Curiousraccoon]

It's his step granddaughter, anyway His wife has probably known about many other similar 'incidents' over the years with others.

Absolutely vile
He had to have planned it too - get the pills from some clearly illegal source in advance, get the girls to the ice cream place on the right day.
And his wife closing her eyes on it.. How possibly?
MOO

 

[musicaljoke]

I think it depends upon how old the girls were. If they were 6, 7 or 8, he could throw out the pills and explain it away.

But if they were 10 12, 13 or more, then he couldn't easily do that. And I think they might have been older because they noticed and recognised the problem. I think that if the girls were old enough to realise it was drugs spiking their shakes, they were probably saying 'Hey, lets go show the police what happened" ---Grandpa had no choice?

I don't think it was about targeting DQ. If he made a very public claim about DQ in an effort to sue them, whoever sold him those pills would be blackmailing him, for sure. He'd never get away with that if he won a settlement. IMO

Would Grampa have a a claim in a lawsuit? He wasn't the one harmed. Surely if there was a claim it would be in favour of the girls.

 

[Lisbeth_S]

It's his step granddaughter, anyway His wife has probably known about many other similar 'incidents' over the years with others.

If that is the case, even more inexcusable that she is still on his side!!

Sickening

 

[Kemug]

With grandma being so unsupportive (to say the least) of the girls, it makes me wonder what the parents are like. Better than the grandparents, one can only hope.

 

[sds71]

James Yokeley Jr. was additionally charged on Jan. 20 with intentional child abuse – serious physical injury and two counts of unlawful distribution of food or beverage...

The new allegations point to a different substance, according to an indictment filed last week. Prosecutors now allege that Yokeley knowingly gave the girls food or beverages containing the sedative trazodone, which is commonly used to treat depression, anxiety and insomnia. Prosecutors said the drug can cause death, serious physical injury or serious pain in minors, and alleged that Yokeley attempted “to inflict serious physical injury” to the girls while they were under his supervision.

State adjusts charges against county elections official accused of drugging girls’ ice cream

James Yokeley, who resigned from the Surry County Board of Elections after he was initially charged in the case in August, now faces two potential counts of felony “unlawful distribution of food or beverage” and one count of felony child abuse.

www.wral.com

North Carolina grandfather accused of drugging ice cream indicted on new charges

A former chair of a county elections board in eastern North Carolina was recently indicted on three new charges after allegedly drugging his granddaughter’s and her friend’s ice cream.

www.wbtv.com

 

[Wallendo]

Yokeley was originally charged with possession of a schedule 1 narcotic, two counts of contaminating food or drink with a controlled substance, and felony child abuse. Three of the four original charges, WECT reported, were later dropped because of insufficient evidence.

North Carolina grandfather accused of drugging ice cream indicted on new charges

A former chair of a county elections board in eastern North Carolina was recently indicted on three new charges after allegedly drugging his granddaughter’s and her friend’s ice cream.

www.wbtv.com

It is interesting that Surry County is 4 hours away from Wilmington.

 

[lynchmob67]

North Carolina grandfather accused of drugging ice cream indicted on new charges

A former chair of a county elections board in eastern North Carolina was recently indicted on three new charges after allegedly drugging his granddaughter’s and her friend’s ice cream.

www.wbtv.com

It is interesting that Surry County is 4 hours away from Wilmington.

It’s not uncommon for folks to have vacation homes here. Surry county is a lovely area near the mountainous Blue Ridge Parkway. Wilmington is on the coast. Beach and mountains, best of both worlds. My opinion only, of course

 

[wendybtn]

DBM

 

[wendybtn]

James Yokeley Jr. was additionally charged on Jan. 20 with intentional child abuse – serious physical injury and two counts of unlawful distribution of food or beverage...

The new allegations point to a different substance, according to an indictment filed last week. Prosecutors now allege that Yokeley knowingly gave the girls food or beverages containing the sedative trazodone, which is commonly used to treat depression, anxiety and insomnia. Prosecutors said the drug can cause death, serious physical injury or serious pain in minors, and alleged that Yokeley attempted “to inflict serious physical injury” to the girls while they were under his supervision.

State adjusts charges against county elections official accused of drugging girls’ ice cream

James Yokeley, who resigned from the Surry County Board of Elections after he was initially charged in the case in August, now faces two potential counts of felony “unlawful distribution of food or beverage” and one count of felony child abuse.

www.wral.com

North Carolina grandfather accused of drugging ice cream indicted on new charges

A former chair of a county elections board in eastern North Carolina was recently indicted on three new charges after allegedly drugging his granddaughter’s and her friend’s ice cream.

www.wbtv.com

Trazadone will also make you very sleepy in smaller doses.

 

[Inthedetails]

James Yokeley Jr. was additionally charged on Jan. 20 with intentional child abuse – serious physical injury and two counts of unlawful distribution of food or beverage...

The new allegations point to a different substance, according to an indictment filed last week. Prosecutors now allege that Yokeley knowingly gave the girls food or beverages containing the sedative trazodone, which is commonly used to treat depression, anxiety and insomnia. Prosecutors said the drug can cause death, serious physical injury or serious pain in minors, and alleged that Yokeley attempted “to inflict serious physical injury” to the girls while they were under his supervision.

State adjusts charges against county elections official accused of drugging girls’ ice cream

James Yokeley, who resigned from the Surry County Board of Elections after he was initially charged in the case in August, now faces two potential counts of felony “unlawful distribution of food or beverage” and one count of felony child abuse.

www.wral.com

North Carolina grandfather accused of drugging ice cream indicted on new charges

A former chair of a county elections board in eastern North Carolina was recently indicted on three new charges after allegedly drugging his granddaughter’s and her friend’s ice cream.

www.wbtv.com

Thank you for the update on this case.

jmo

 

[Wallendo]

It’s not uncommon for folks to have vacation homes here. Surry county is a lovely area near the mountainous Blue Ridge Parkway. Wilmington is on the coast. Beach and mountains, best of both worlds. My opinion only, of course

He apparently lists New Hanover as his home address, but somehow votes in Surry County. Unlike other states such as South Carolina, there is no financial savings listing an expensive vacation home as primary residence. Something just seems off about this situation. This issue was brought up in an article listed several pages ago.

Of course, a lot of things seem "off" with this guy.

 

[sunspun]

James Yokeley Jr. was additionally charged on Jan. 20 with intentional child abuse – serious physical injury and two counts of unlawful distribution of food or beverage...

The new allegations point to a different substance, according to an indictment filed last week. Prosecutors now allege that Yokeley knowingly gave the girls food or beverages containing the sedative trazodone, which is commonly used to treat depression, anxiety and insomnia. Prosecutors said the drug can cause death, serious physical injury or serious pain in minors, and alleged that Yokeley attempted “to inflict serious physical injury” to the girls while they were under his supervision.

State adjusts charges against county elections official accused of drugging girls’ ice cream

James Yokeley, who resigned from the Surry County Board of Elections after he was initially charged in the case in August, now faces two potential counts of felony “unlawful distribution of food or beverage” and one count of felony child abuse.

www.wral.com

North Carolina grandfather accused of drugging ice cream indicted on new charges

A former chair of a county elections board in eastern North Carolina was recently indicted on three new charges after allegedly drugging his granddaughter’s and her friend’s ice cream.

www.wbtv.com

The first post in this thread said, in part, "The two pills were collected, and preliminary field tests conducted indicated that the pills were illegal narcotics, including MDMA and cocaine."

So did further testing indicate trazodone and no MDMA or cocaine? Or are they claiming all 3 drugs were found?

Are they still saying there were 2 pills and nothing else?

It would be less surprising to me if this man had been able to come up with trazodone than it would be if he'd had coke or MDMA.

But it would be more surprising to me if it was really trazodone that he wanted the girls to ingest instead of coke or MDMA.

 

[sds71]

Three of four charges against a man accused of drugging two teens’ Dairy Queen blizzards have been dropped, according to newly filed court documents...

An arrest warrant alleged that the blue pressed pills were tested in the field and were positive for MDMA and Cocaine.

However, new court documents filed on Dec. 22 state the three drug charges against Yokeley were dismissed due to “insufficient evidence to warrant prosecution for the following reasons: lab testing confirmed the substance was not a controlled substance under NC GS.”

A spokesperson for the New Hanover County District Attorney’s office confirmed only one felony child abuse charge is still pending against Yokeley at this time.

https://portal-nc.tylertech.cloud/Portal/DocumentViewer/Embedded/A09374B5357EF64A57857A785C55F496850ACA3263D2129AC53C6FF8B89945C8449014C7B0B428E6354160903A87EEBDC5B3B730DF667996333C66A3D7FFE898?caseNum=25CR397097-640

Three charges dropped against man accused of drugging teens’ Dairy Queen blizzards

Three of four charges against a man accused of drugging two teens’ Dairy Queen blizzards have been dropped, according to newly filed court documents.

www.wect.com

 

[wendybtn]

The first post in this thread said, in part, "The two pills were collected, and preliminary field tests conducted indicated that the pills were illegal narcotics, including MDMA and cocaine."

So did further testing indicate trazodone and no MDMA or cocaine? Or are they claiming all 3 drugs were found?

Are they still saying there were 2 pills and nothing else?

It would be less surprising to me if this man had been able to come up with trazodone than it would be if he'd had coke or MDMA.

But it would be more surprising to me if it was really trazodone that he wanted the girls to ingest instead of coke or MDMA.

I assume if it was Trazadone that he got it from a prescription in his or someone else's home.

 

[sunspun]

Three of four charges against a man accused of drugging two teens’ Dairy Queen blizzards have been dropped, according to newly filed court documents...

An arrest warrant alleged that the blue pressed pills were tested in the field and were positive for MDMA and Cocaine.

However, new court documents filed on Dec. 22 state the three drug charges against Yokeley were dismissed due to “insufficient evidence to warrant prosecution for the following reasons: lab testing confirmed the substance was not a controlled substance under NC GS.”

A spokesperson for the New Hanover County District Attorney’s office confirmed only one felony child abuse charge is still pending against Yokeley at this time.

https://portal-nc.tylertech.cloud/Portal/DocumentViewer/Embedded/A09374B5357EF64A57857A785C55F496850ACA3263D2129AC53C6FF8B89945C8449014C7B0B428E6354160903A87EEBDC5B3B730DF667996333C66A3D7FFE898?caseNum=25CR397097-640

Three charges dropped against man accused of drugging teens’ Dairy Queen blizzards

Three of four charges against a man accused of drugging two teens’ Dairy Queen blizzards have been dropped, according to newly filed court documents.

www.wect.com

Trazodone isn't a controlled substance? I guess that doesn't necessarily include all prescription-only drugs, like I thought.

 

[sunspun]

I hope this forces them to realize that their "preliminary field tests" are thoroughly unreliable, considering that they said they initially indicated the drugs were cocaine and MDMA. They probably already knew they were unreliable, but this really should force them to admit it too, but I won't hold my breath on that.

I wonder if "preliminary field tests" meant they actually tested the substance at the scene, or if the "testing" involved merely looking at the substance and giving their opinion, based on the circumstances.

If the accused had just pled guilty immediately, or as soon as legally allowed, would the charges related to cocaine and MDMA have stood? I'm thinking of indigent defendants who probably have prior drug convictions, who plead guilty in most cases (most= something like over 95% of cases, according to studies on this subject nationwide.)

Why else would LE have initially said he had cocaine and MDMA, when it turns out it was actually Trazodone? Sounds to me like that's just a standard tactic in their playbook. Keeps the courts from getting clogged up, I guess.