A man who laced candy with sleeping medication and gave them to children at a youth camp in the region has admitted sexual offences against two young males both between nine and ten.
Jon Ruben was taken into custody after eight children and a grown-up experienced illness at the facility in mid-summer.
The senior citizen, from that region, admitted guilt to a series of 17 offences when he appeared at the judicial center on recently.
Yet, he refused to admit one particular crime he was facing, which was against a young boy.
The accused was kept in jail prior to a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Candy game'
The prosecutor, presenting evidence, detailed the defendant's actions to the judicial body.
She said his those affected were under-privileged children who were participating in a summer program which he operated.
The man conducted a "sweet game" with the children, the prosecutor explained, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were getting ready for bed and tell them to consume candy "rapidly".
She informed the proceedings the defendant had conducted this practice with the young males "repeatedly", and children had earlier experienced illness the next day.
She explained the defendant had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the minors being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had concerns in July 2025.
The prosecutor added: "Recently" his stepson had suspicions about the situation, for good reason.
"They resolved" to investigate in the defendant's belongings."
The prosecutor stated materials including infant oil, Vaseline and syringes were found, and his stepchild notified the law enforcement about his suspicions.
She stated Ruben proceeded to play the "sweet game" with six youngsters that night - July 26th - and they were all sick the subsequent day.
"Authorities" had not arrived by that stage," she stated further.
The police watchdog, the investigative body, previously told that it was examining the police response of the situation.
The prosecutor stated the children were struggling to walk due to their condition, so the stepson contacted the police again.
She said the defendant then engaged in the "sweet game" in a area of five children.
