New charges filed against man accused of putting pills in teens’ Dairy Queen blizzards

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) - A New Hanover County Grand Jury indicted James Yokeley Jr. Tuesday, Jan. 20, on new charges related to allegedly putting pills in two teenagers’ Dairy Queen blizzards.

The New Hanover County District Attorney’s Office confirmed the indictment included two new counts of Unlawful Distribution of Food or Beverage. Yokeley Jr. is also charged with one count of Intentional Child Abuse – Serious Physical Injury. The cases are now in New Hanover County Superior Court.

The court previously dismissed three drug-related charges against Yokeley Jr. due to “insufficient evidence.”

Background

On Aug. 3, the Wilmington Police Department (WPD) charged and arrested Yokeley Jr. for allegedly putting pills in his 16-year-old step-granddaughter’s and her 15-year-old friend’s Dairy Queen blizzards.

Detectives requested security camera footage from the Dairy Queen location. WPD said the footage showed Yokeley Jr. had placed two pills into the ice cream.

Yokeley Jr. had originally been charged with two counts of felony contaminating food or drink with a controlled substance, felony child abuse and felony possession of Schedule I narcotics.

An arrest warrant alleged that blue pressed pills were tested in the field and were positive for MDMA and Cocaine prior to the charges being dropped due to lack of evidence.