An individual who spiked sweets with sedative and gave them to minors at a youth camp in the region has admitted sexual offences against two boys aged nine and ten years old.
The accused was detained after eight youngsters and a grown-up became sick at the location in July.
The 76-year-old, from that region, pleaded guilty to a multiple criminal counts when he stood at the judicial center on recently.
Nevertheless, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was involving a nine-year-old child.
Ruben was kept in jail before a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Treat game'
The legal representative, prosecuting, detailed the criminal behavior to the judicial body.
She said his victims were children from difficult backgrounds who were participating in a summer program which he managed.
Ruben engaged in a "candy game" with the minors, the legal counsel said, in which he would access the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to consume candy "rapidly".
She informed the proceedings the man had engaged in this activity with the boys "repeatedly", and children had earlier experienced illness the next day.
She explained the defendant had been capable of justifying this over a long period as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his family member had concerns in summer 2025.
The prosecutor stated further: "Recently" his stepson had worries about the situation, for good reason.
"They decided to investigate in the individual's items."
The legal counsel stated objects including baby oil, ointment and syringes were discovered, and his family member contacted the law enforcement about his worries.
She explained the defendant continued to engage in the "sweet game" with six boys that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the next day.
"Authorities" had not responded by that point," she continued.
The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, previously told that it was investigating the police response of the incident.
The prosecutor said the youngsters were unable to walk properly due to their condition, so the stepson contacted the police a second time.
She explained Ruben then conducted the "candy game" in a space of five youngsters.
