North Carolina Election Official Arrested for Allegedly Spiking Ice Cream

A Republican election official in North Carolina was taken into custody earlier this month after allegedly adding cocaine and MDMA into her granddaughter’s ice cream, according to police reports.

James Edwin Yokeley Jr., 66, alerted officers on August 8 after discovering two hard objects in ice cream that his granddaughters had recently bought from Dairy Queen, as stated by the Wilmington Police Department.

The two girls, aged 15 and 16, did not consume the pills, which were seized and sent to a state lab for testing.

However, surveillance footage from Dairy Queen casts doubt on Yokeley’s claims. The video reportedly shows him placing the pills directly on the ice cream.

Yokeley has been charged with contaminating food with controlled substances and felony child abuse. He was said to be waiting to resign from his post as chairman of the Surry County Election Commission until Thursday, although he expressed that he felt “prayerly confident” about being cleared of all charges.

In a letter to the commission, Yokeley explained that his resignation was a decision made “not lightly” but after “much prayer, thoughtful reflection and consultation,” asserting it was in the best interest of the state agency amid what he referred to as “false allegations.”

State auditor Dave Boliek, who appointed Yokeley last June, called for his resignation, stating it would help the Surry County Commission and State Commission advance without distraction.

Previously, Yokeley won a seat on the Surry County Board of Education, though his tenure was cut short after he received just 26.69% of the votes in the 2022 Republican primary.

His campaign often centered on national issues and various conspiracy theories about the integrity of the 2020 federal election, making similar claims online and adopting an anti-vaccine stance.

TJ Bledsoe, who eventually took the seat, mentioned that Yokeley’s focus on these issues was largely seen as “confusing” in the context of local elections.

Even after his defeat, Yokeley continued to express skepticism regarding the Covid vaccine, alleging that “Big Pharma” and the federal government had misled the public—all without presenting any supporting evidence, of course.

Yokeley was released on a $100,000 bond following his arrest. He faces serious charges including contaminating food and child abuse.