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Update: County BOE chair accused of drugging his grandchildren's ice cream resigns

PRE News & Ideas | By Annette Weston
Published August 29, 2025 at 6:29 AM EDT
Wilmington Police Department
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James Yokely, the now-former Surry County Board of Elections Chairman, is charged with felony child abuse, possession of a controlled substance and contaminating food with a controlled substance.

A county elections board chair who was arrested after video appeared to show James Yokely putting MDMA pills, also known as Molly or Ecstasy, in his grandchildren’s ice cream has resigned.

Officials with the Wilmington Police Department said Yokely flagged down an officer in early August and told him he’d found something in his grandchildren’s ice cream, which had been purchased at a nearby Dairy Queen. Two pills were found and field tested positive for MDMA, but medical professionals determined the children had not ingested anything.

Video footage apparently showed Yokeley putting the pills in the Blizzard.

Yokely, the now-former Surry County Board of Elections Chairman, is charged with felony child abuse, possession of a controlled substance and contaminating food with a controlled substance.

Yokeley was selected by North Carolina State Auditor Dave Boliek to lead the county board of elections in June.
Annette Weston
Annette is originally a Midwest gal, born and raised in Michigan, but with career stops in many surrounding states, the Pacific Northwest, and various parts of the southeast. An award-winning journalist and mother of four, Annette moved to eastern North Carolina in 2019 to be closer to family – in particular, her two young grandchildren. It’s possible that a -27 day with a -68 windchill in Minnesota may have also played a role in that decision. In her spare time, Annette does a lot of kiddo cuddling, reading, and producing the coolest Halloween costumes anyone has ever seen. She has also worked as a diversity and inclusion facilitator serving school districts and large corporations. It’s the people that make this beautiful area special, and she wants to share those stories that touch the hearts of others. If you have a story idea to share, please reach out by email to westona@cravencc.edu.
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