A man who laced candy with tranquilliser and provided them to minors at a summer program in the area has pleaded guilty to sexual offenses against two children aged between nine and ten.
Jon Ruben was taken into custody after eight children and one adult fell ill at the location in mid-summer.
The senior citizen, from that region, confessed to a multiple criminal counts when he stood at the courthouse on Friday.
Yet, he denied one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was against a young boy.
Ruben was held in detention before a further hearing on late November.
'Sweet game'
The prosecutor, presenting evidence, described Ruben's offending to the judicial body.
She stated his targets were under-privileged children who were staying at a summer camp which he managed.
The defendant played a "candy game" with the minors, the legal counsel stated, in which he would go into the sleeping quarters when they were preparing to sleep and request they to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She stated to the judge the defendant had engaged in this activity with the children "repeatedly", and minors had earlier experienced illness the following morning.
She explained the man had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the minors being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepchild had suspicions in recently.
The legal representative stated further: "This year his family member had worries about what was going on, with valid cause.
"They chose" to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
Mrs Prior KC stated items including infant oil, ointment and syringes were found, and his stepchild contacted the authorities about his suspicions.
She stated the defendant continued to conduct the "sweet game" with six youngsters that evening - July 26th - and they were all sick the following morning.
"Authorities" had not responded by that time," she added.
The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, earlier informed that it was investigating the police response of the incident.
The legal representative said the youngsters were having difficulty walking due to their sickness, so the stepson called the police a second time.
She stated the man then engaged in the "sweet game" in a room of five minors.
