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(WJW) — A man was caught on camera placing drugs into two teenage girls’ Dairy Queen desserts, North Carolina police said in a statement.
The grandfather, identified as 66-year-old James Yokeley Jr., was formerly the chair of the Surry County Board of Elections. He was arrested and charged with contaminating food with a controlled substance, felony child abuse, and possession of a narcotic, as per Wilmington police.
Police stated they were alerted at a Sheetz on August 3, where Yokeley claimed that his granddaughters had discovered “hard objects” in their Blizzard ice cream treats from a nearby Dairy Queen. The girls received medical attention, although it was later revealed that they had not consumed what seemed to be illegal drugs in pill form.
During a news conference on Friday, Wilmington police clarified that one of the girls was actually the suspect’s 16-year-old step-granddaughter and the other was her friend. Yokeley reportedly bought the Blizzards while the girls remained in the car.
Police confirmed that the step-granddaughter was driving the vehicle and entered the gas station upon noticing an EMS vehicle there.
In the course of the investigation, police said video footage showed Yokeley putting the pills into the desserts.
In an arrest warrant, obtained by People magazine, officials found the pills tested positive for cocaine and MDMA.
Yokeley sent a letter, posted by the News & Observer, earlier this week to the Board of Elections, outlining his plan to resign.
“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,” he stated in the letter.
According to police, the suspect was transported to the New Hanover County Detention Center, but has since posted a $100,000 bond.
