A North Carolina Republican election official arrested and charged with drugging two girls' ice creams has resigned from his prominent appointed position in the state's GOP. Initial information released by the police identified the girls Yokeley tried to drug as his granddaughters.
Wilmington Police Department officials identified the girls as his step-granddaughter and her friend on Friday.
James Yokeley Jr. was made head of Surry County elections in June by the North Carolina State Auditor, Republican Dave Boliek. A new law put the State Auditor in charge of appointing elections board leaders in all North Carolina counties and made Republicans the majority in state and local elections boards.
Yokely resigned days after news of his arrest and only about an hour before the State Board of Elections' emergency meeting to discuss him.
On August 3, Yokeley's 16-year-old granddaughter flagged down nearby Wilmington, North Carolina, police officers after she found pills in her and her 15-year-old friend's ice cream purchased from a Dairy Queen by Yokeley.
Wilmington Police Department Lieutenant Greg Willett said during a press conference that Yokeley purchased the ice cream while the two girls waited in his car.
When his granddaughter—driving Yokeley's car with her grandfather as a passenger—and her friend discovered unusual objects that looked like pills in their ice cream, they immediately pulled into a nearby gas station where they flagged down police and first responders who were already there.
Yokeley claimed ignorance when asked about the ice cream he gave to each girl, blaming the Dairy Queen employees for the crime. Police reports stated Yokeley was serving as guardian for both underage girls for the weekend.
But when police investigators reviewed video surveillance footage, it revealed Yokeley placing the pills into the ice cream for both girls. The pills Yokeley put in both girls' food tested positive for MDMA and cocaine, according to Yokeley's arrest warrant.
MDMA is known as a club drug and has been used by predators to commit sexual assault.
Yokeley invoked his strong Christian faith in his resignation letter while still proclaiming his innocence.
He wrote:
"This decision has not been made lightly. 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 false accused circumstances, to step down at this time."
"Based on the truth and facts, I remain prayerfully confident that I will be exonerated of all accusations levied against me."
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People were unsurprised by his political affiliation.
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Yokeley joins a long list of Republicans in positions of power preying on children while the GOP claims to be protecting children by attacking drag queens reading books in libraries and trans women and girls participating in sports.
Yokeley was charged with contaminating food with a controlled substance, felony child abuse, and possession of a schedule 1 narcotic.
He is out of jail on a $100,000 bond.
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