A person who laced candy with sleeping medication and provided them to minors at a summer camp in the region has admitted sexual offences against two young males aged nine and ten years old.
The defendant was arrested after eight youngsters and one adult became sick at the location in the summer month.
The senior citizen, from that region, admitted guilt to a series of 17 offences when he stood at the courthouse on Friday.
Yet, he disputed one particular crime he was accused of, which was involving a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was remanded in custody ahead of a additional proceeding on late November.
'Treat game'
Mary Prior KC, presenting evidence, detailed Ruben's offending to the judicial body.
She stated his those affected were under-privileged children who were participating in a youth camp which he ran.
The man conducted a "candy game" with the minors, the legal counsel explained, in which he would go into the sleeping quarters when they were settling down and request they to eat sweets "as fast as possible".
She informed the proceedings the man had engaged in this activity with the young males "repeatedly", and youngsters had earlier experienced illness the following morning.
She explained the defendant had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the youngsters being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had worries in recently.
Mrs Prior KC added: "This year his stepchild had worries about the situation, for good reason.
"They decided to have a look in the man's possessions."
The legal counsel explained materials including lubricant, petroleum jelly and syringes were found, and his stepchild contacted the authorities about his concerns.
She explained the defendant proceeded to conduct the "sweet game" with six boys that evening - July 26th - and they were all ill the next day.
"Law enforcement" had not responded by that time," she added.
The regulatory agency, the investigative body, had stated that it was reviewing the police response of the incident.
Mrs Prior said the youngsters were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so the stepson contacted the police a second time.
She stated Ruben then played the "treat game" in a room of five children.
