An individual who contaminated candy with sedative and provided them to children at a youth camp in the region has confessed to sexual crimes against two boys both nine and ten years old.
The accused was taken into custody after eight youngsters and an older person experienced illness at the facility in the summer month.
The 76-year-old, from that region, pleaded guilty to a multiple criminal counts when he was present at the courthouse on recently.
However, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was against a nine-year-old boy.
Ruben was kept in jail ahead of a additional proceeding on 28 November.
'Treat game'
The prosecutor, presenting evidence, detailed the defendant's actions to the judicial body.
She explained his targets were children from difficult backgrounds who were staying at a youth camp which he ran.
Ruben conducted a "candy game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel explained, in which he would access the sleeping quarters when they were getting ready for bed and tell them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She told the court the man had engaged in this activity with the young males "over an extended period", and minors had earlier experienced illness the following morning.
She stated the defendant had been able to explain this over a long period as the children being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepson had worries in July 2025.
The prosecutor added: "Recently" his stepson had suspicions about the activities, justifiably.
"They decided to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
The prosecutor said items including baby oil, petroleum jelly and syringes were found, and his stepchild alerted the law enforcement about his suspicions.
She said the man went on to play the "treat game" with six youngsters that time - July 26th - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not gone out by that stage," she added.
The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was reviewing law enforcement's management of the incident.
Mrs Prior stated the children were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so Ruben's stepson contacted the law enforcement once more.
She said the defendant then played the "candy game" in a area of five youngsters.
