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

[airportwoman]

I too wondered if he palmed the tablets, and dropped them in, in such a way that it wasn't obvious to an outsider. No, cocaine isn't, to my knowledge, available as a tablet, but it could be in a capsule, or pressed into a tablet as residue.

 

[Rosydecember]

In my youth, before fentanyl was around, I believe that cocaine was commonly in ecstasy. I’m not surprised by that. That being said, I’m wondering if grandps put something else knowingly in there because one doesn’t black out from ecstasy and cocaine MOO

Edit to add: moo

 

[stonedgnome]

I don’t think cocaine is a typical “date rape” drug. To the contrary, wouldn’t cocaine make the victims more alert? I’m inclined to agree that the intent here was to create a “moral panic.” JMO.

He might be too dumb to know that lol
moo

 

[stonedgnome]

Ew, what a creepy man.

 

[Centaurus]

Ew, what a creepy man.

No way am I giving this guy the benefit of the doubt. He intentionally drugged young teenage girls and it’s all caught on video. The fact that it was MDMA tells me everything I need to know. Some computer forensic scientist should certainly check that man’s hard drive…

 

[wendybtn]

Yes, I didn't realize they were TEENS and that one was a friend, not his granddaughter.

This changes my opinion big time.

I now think he had nefarious intentions about the girls and not a plan to blame DQ workers.

One scenario is not better than the other, but....what a gross grandpa.

jmo

He was a step grandfather to the one young lady. So not related by blood to either victim. I am going with the nefarious motive now.

 

[stonedgnome]

No way am I giving this guy the benefit of the doubt. He intentionally drugged young teenage girls and it’s all caught on video. The fact that it was MDMA tells me everything I need to know. Some computer forensic scientist should certainly check that man’s hard drive…

Absolutely agree.

 

[appleatcha]

It doesn't sound like he was even WITH them when they reported it. This alone, to me, is a major argument against the possibility that he was trying to make DQ look bad or planning a lawsuit against them.

Do you have a source that says he wasn't with them? So far I've seen the early reports that he was the one who flagged down police, which was apparently an error, and another report that he was in the car with the girls when they flagged down the paramedics and then police. I haven't seen that he wasn't present at all.

"According to WPD, on Aug. 3, the two teens discovered the pills in their ice cream while in the car with Yokeley. The teen who was driving pulled into a Sheetz parking lot, where they located paramedics.

The paramedics checked the girls before flagging down police in the area."

Source

 

[sunspun]

Do you have a source that says he wasn't with them? So far I've seen the early reports that he was the one who flagged down police, which was apparently an error, and another report that he was in the car with the girls when they flagged down the paramedics and then police. I haven't seen that he wasn't present at all.

"According to WPD, on Aug. 3, the two teens discovered the pills in their ice cream while in the car with Yokeley. The teen who was driving pulled into a Sheetz parking lot, where they located paramedics.

The paramedics checked the girls before flagging down police in the area."

Source

Oh, yeah, that's different from what I read. Or maybe just different from how I read that, because I thought they were saying that the teens drove themselves to find the paramedics and reported what they found. That's why I was asking where the man was during this part of the story and thinking they probably left him at DQ. But if he was with them, I bet he was quickly re-thinking his whole plan in his mind! Probably frantically trying to remember where the cameras were at DQ. Actually, doesn't sound like he gave cameras a thought at all when he did it. Boy, that was dumb.

anyway thx for correcting me!

 

[stonedgnome]

Oh, yeah, that's different from what I read. Or maybe just different from how I read that, because I thought they were saying that the teens drove themselves to find the paramedics and reported what they found. That's why I was asking where the man was during this part of the story and thinking they probably left him at DQ. But if he was with them, I bet he was quickly re-thinking his whole plan in his mind! Probably frantically trying to remember where the cameras were at DQ. Actually, doesn't sound like he gave cameras a thought at all when he did it. Boy, that was dumb.

anyway thx for correcting me!

Obviously I am VERY glad he didn't consider cameras. However - it makes me laugh because I work in surveillance so I am always hyper aware of all of the cameras around me in a public place. There's usually more than you'd expect.

 

[LadyL]

James Yokeley Jr. allegedly put pills containing narcotics in his 16-year-old step-granddaughter’s and her 15-year-old friend’s Dairy Queen blizzards.

According to WPD, on Aug. 3, the two teens discovered the pills in their ice cream while in the car with Yokeley. The teen who was driving pulled into a Sheetz parking lot, where they located paramedics.

The paramedics checked the girls before flagging down police in the area.

“I believe the young ladies who were involved in this case, when they discovered the pills, they became very concerned and emotional,” said Lt. Greg Willett of WPD.

The Wilmington Police have officially ruled out all Dairy Queen employees and stated that the store was vital to helping move the case forward.

“I mean, this is a case where video surveillance played a tremendous role and everything has worked out the way it needed to,” said Willett.

At this time, the type of drugs the pills contained has not been confirmed. WPD says the field test showed compounds of MDMA and Cocaine, but a lab test is being done, and other drugs could be identified. There is no timeline for when the results will be available.

NEW DETAILS: Wilmington Police hold press conference about man accused of drugging teens’ ice cream

Yokeley allegedly put pills containing narcotics in the Dairy Queen blizzards given to the teens.

www.wect.com

for some reason I assumed the girls were young(er)

 

[Inthedetails]

for some reason I assumed the girls were young(er)

I assumed they were younger with the first reports too. The image was grandpa taking granddaughters for ice cream, which seems like something involving younger kids.

Of course, doesn't make it better that they were teens, who are of course still children. But it's a different scenario than was first presented and it's fair that we didn't understand fully at that point.

We still don't have all the details to fully understand what happened.

jmopinion

 

[MrsWatson]

I thought the girls were much younger at first, as well. It's just a different kind of disturbing, not less disturbing, knowing they were teenagers.

 

[10ofRods]

In my youth, before fentanyl was around, I believe that cocaine was commonly in ecstasy. I’m not surprised by that. That being said, I’m wondering if grandps put something else knowingly in there because one doesn’t black out from ecstasy and cocaine MOO

Edit to add: moo

Both cause disinhibition and cocaine causes increased desire for sex, which is a main reason it is used recreationally. It makes people hypersexual.

Cocaine administration dose-dependently increases sexual desire and decreases condom use likelihood: The role of delay and probability discounting in connecting cocaine with HIV - PMC

Although cocaine use has been linked to sexual HIV risk behavior for decades, the direct effects of cocaine on sexual desire and sexual decision-making are unexamined. Research suggests delay discounting (devaluation of future outcomes) and ...

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

It also decreases judgment/conscience and impairs decision-making in general.

I do have to wonder why, if using capsules, he didn't just empty them into the drinks. I also wonder about his mental status in general. I think the pedophile/ephebophile theory is the most plausible. Grandpa may also be a drug addict himself. The only reason I can think of for leaving the capsules intact is that he hoped this would improve his chances of saying that the girls took them voluntarily. How that was supposed to go down remains a mystery. Surely they discovered the pills and immediately knew that they weren't oreo chunks or bits of toffee.

IMO.

 

[nao]

Moo...you cannot be putting drugs of any type in anybody's drinks or food no matter if they are child or adult. It is illegal. And the person that does this is not to be trusted ever again... moo

 

[vls12345]

I sure hope that since he posted bond, he's not out trying to manipulate or intimidate his step-granddaughter or her friend. I think that could be an issue. MOO.

WPD provides updates on elections official charged with attempting to drug his step-granddaughter and her friend

Officials of the Wilmington Police Department release more details of the recent drugging incident allegedly involving the recently resigned Surry County Board of Elections Chair.

www.whqr.org

 

[vls12345]

https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-e-yokeley-jr-6b67304

 

[vls12345]

https://www.starnewsonline.com/story/news/local/2025/08/28/surry-county-election-official-resigns-after-charges-in-wilmington-nc/85869330007/

In a resignation letter released on Aug. 28, Yokely resigned from his position as Board Chair for the Surry County Board of Elections. He stated the decision was in regard to “his own falsely accused circumstances.”

So, of course, taking no responsibility.

 

[Inthedetails]

I do have to wonder why, if using capsules, he didn't just empty them into the drinks. I also wonder about his mental status in general

snipped

I'm assuming he is not too smart. my opinion

jmopinion

 

[Curiousobserver]

What a weird story. I don't know what to think her but I am leaning toward the dirty old man theory. The motive doesn't have to be logical to us, he may have thought he could get these girls' hooked then make a "trade" when they wanted more. Cocaine is very addictive and a habit is very expensive for a teenager to fund. Waiting for the lab reports... presumptive drug tests are often wrong.