A man who spiked candy with sedative and provided them to youngsters at a summer camp in the region has admitted sexual crimes against two young males aged between nine and ten.
The accused was arrested after eight children and a grown-up became sick at the facility in mid-summer.
The 76-year-old, from that region, confessed to a multiple criminal counts when he stood at the courthouse on the end of the week.
Nevertheless, he denied one particular crime he was charged with, which was involving a nine-year-old child.
The accused was kept in jail ahead of a further hearing on 28 November.
'Treat game'
The legal representative, prosecuting, outlined the defendant's actions to the court.
She said his targets were under-privileged children who were attending a summer program which he managed.
Ruben engaged in a "candy game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel explained, in which he would enter the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to consume candy "as fast as possible".
She told the court Ruben had conducted this practice with the children "repeatedly", and youngsters had previously become sick the next day.
She said the man had been successful in rationalizing this repeatedly as the minors being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had concerns in July 2025.
The prosecutor continued: "Recently" his stepchild had concerns about the situation, with valid cause.
"They decided to examine in the individual's items."
The legal counsel explained objects including infant oil, Vaseline and medical needles were located, and his stepchild contacted the law enforcement about his worries.
She said the defendant continued to conduct the "sweet game" with six children that night - that Saturday - and they were all sick the next day.
"Law enforcement" had not arrived by that point," she added.
The oversight body, the investigative body, had stated that it was reviewing law enforcement's management of the situation.
The prosecutor said the minors were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so the family member contacted the law enforcement again.
She stated the man then played the "sweet game" in a room of five youngsters.
