An individual who contaminated sweets with sleeping medication and distributed them to youngsters at a youth camp in the area has admitted sexual offences against two children aged nine and ten years old.
Jon Ruben was taken into custody after eight children and a grown-up became sick at the facility in the summer month.
The elderly man, from that region, confessed to a multiple criminal counts when he was present at the courthouse on Friday.
However, he disputed one particular crime he was charged with, which was concerning a young boy.
The defendant was kept in jail ahead of a additional proceeding on late November.
'Candy game'
The legal representative, prosecuting, detailed the defendant's actions to the legal proceedings.
She said his targets were disadvantaged youngsters who were staying at a summer camp which he ran.
The man played a "candy game" with the minors, the prosecutor said, in which he would access the boys' rooms when they were getting ready for bed and ask them to eat sweets "as fast as possible".
She told the court the defendant had conducted this practice with the young males "for many years", and youngsters had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She explained the defendant had been able to explain this over a long period as the youngsters being "overexcited from fun", until his family member had suspicions in July 2025.
The prosecutor continued: "This year his stepchild had suspicions about the situation, justifiably.
"They decided to have a look in the man's possessions."
Mrs Prior KC said objects including baby oil, ointment and injection devices were discovered, and his stepson contacted the law enforcement about his suspicions.
She stated the defendant proceeded to conduct the "sweet game" with six youngsters that evening - that Saturday - and they were all sick the subsequent day.
"Authorities" had not responded by that point," she added.
The regulatory agency, the police conduct office, earlier informed that it was reviewing law enforcement's management of the events.
The legal representative explained the youngsters were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so the stepson contacted the authorities a second time.
She explained the man then engaged in the "treat game" in a room of five minors.
