New charges filed against man accused of drugging ice cream

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — According to court documents, James Yokeley Jr. was indicted on January 22 on new charges related to allegedly putting pills in minors’ ice cream.

Yokeley is charged with two new counts of unlawful distribution of food or beverage. He is also charged with one count of intentional child abuse – serious physical injury.

The court previously dropped three charges against Yokeley on December 22 due to insufficient evidence to warrant prosecution. Those charges were two counts of contaminate food/drink with controlled substance and felony possession schedule I controlled substance.

According to police, on August 3, Yokeley, his step granddaughter, 16, and her friend, 15, visited Dairy Queen on Oleander Drive.

Later, while Yokeley’s step granddaughter was driving, she and her friend noticed a blue pill in their Blizzard. 

The three pulled into a Sheetz gas station at the corner of Shipyard and Independence Boulevards—where they flagged down a paramedic, who got an officer. 

In late August, Yokeley turned himself into police headquarters and posted his $100,000 bond.