An individual who contaminated treats with sedative and gave them to children at a summer program in the region has pleaded guilty to sexual offences against two young males who were nine and ten years old.
Jon Ruben was arrested after eight youngsters and one adult fell ill at the facility in the summer month.
The 76-year-old, from that region, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he was present at the judicial center on recently.
Nevertheless, he denied one particular crime he was facing, which was concerning a young boy.
Ruben was kept in jail before a subsequent court date on November 28th.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, described Ruben's offending to the legal proceedings.
She stated his targets were under-privileged children who were staying at a youth camp which he ran.
Ruben played a "sweet game" with the youngsters, Mrs Prior stated, in which he would access the children's bedrooms when they were getting ready for bed and tell them to ingest treats "as fast as possible".
She stated to the judge Ruben had played this game with the boys "repeatedly", and children had previously become sick the next day.
She stated the man had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the minors being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had worries in July 2025.
Mrs Prior KC added: "Recently" his stepchild had worries about what was going on, for good reason.
"They decided to examine in the defendant's belongings."
The legal counsel said objects including lubricant, petroleum jelly and syringes were found, and his family member alerted the authorities about his concerns.
She said the defendant continued to engage in the "sweet game" with six youngsters that night - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the next day.
"Authorities" had not arrived by that time," she stated further.
The regulatory agency, the investigative body, earlier informed that it was investigating law enforcement's management of the incident.
The prosecutor stated the youngsters were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so Ruben's stepson contacted the law enforcement once more.
She said Ruben then played the "sweet game" in a area of five children.
