An individual who spiked sweets with sedative and gave them to youngsters at a summer program in the area has admitted sexual offences against two young males aged nine and ten years old.
The defendant was taken into custody after eight children and one adult experienced illness at the location in July.
The senior citizen, from that region, confessed to a multiple criminal counts when he stood at the courthouse on Friday.
However, he disputed a single sexual charge he was charged with, which was concerning a nine-year-old child.
The defendant was kept in jail before a further hearing on November 28th.
'Sweet game'
The legal representative, handling the case, detailed the defendant's actions to the judicial body.
She explained his targets were under-privileged children who were staying at a summer program which he managed.
The defendant conducted a "candy game" with the children, the legal counsel stated, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to consume candy "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings the defendant had played this game with the boys "for many years", and minors had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She stated Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this repeatedly as the minors being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepson had concerns in recently.
The prosecutor added: "Recently" his stepchild had suspicions about the activities, justifiably.
"They decided to investigate in the man's possessions."
The legal counsel stated items including baby oil, petroleum jelly and medical needles were located, and his family member notified the authorities about his worries.
She explained the man continued to play the "candy game" with six youngsters that time - that Saturday - and they were all sick the subsequent day.
"The police had not arrived by that point," she stated further.
The regulatory agency, the police conduct office, had stated that it was examining the police response of the events.
Mrs Prior explained the minors were struggling to walk due to being ill, so the family member notified the authorities again.
She explained Ruben then conducted the "sweet game" in a room of five youngsters.
