A person who laced sweets with sleeping medication and distributed them to minors at a summer camp in the area has pleaded guilty to sexual offences against two young males who were nine and ten years old.
The defendant was detained after eight children and one adult fell ill at the location in July.
The senior citizen, from that region, confessed to a multiple criminal counts when he appeared at the judicial center on Friday.
Nevertheless, he disputed one particular crime he was charged with, which was against a nine-year-old child.
Ruben was kept in jail ahead of a subsequent court date on late November.
'Treat game'
The prosecutor, prosecuting, outlined the criminal behavior to the judicial body.
She said his victims were under-privileged children who were staying at a youth camp which he managed.
The defendant engaged in a "candy game" with the children, the legal counsel explained, in which he would access the sleeping quarters when they were preparing to sleep and request they to consume candy "as quickly as they can".
She stated to the judge Ruben had conducted this practice with the young males "for many years", and minors had previously become sick the subsequent day.
She said Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the youngsters being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had worries in July 2025.
The prosecutor stated further: "Recently" his stepson had worries about the activities, for good reason.
"They decided to examine in the defendant's belongings."
The legal counsel said items including lubricant, Vaseline and injection devices were found, and his family member contacted the police about his suspicions.
She said the defendant continued to engage in the "candy game" with six youngsters that evening - July 26th - and they were all sick the following morning.
"Authorities" had not gone out by that time," she added.
The police watchdog, the investigative body, previously told that it was reviewing the police response of the events.
The prosecutor explained the youngsters were having difficulty walking due to their sickness, so the stepson called the police once more.
She stated the defendant then engaged in the "treat game" in a area of five children.
