A person who laced sweets with sleeping medication and distributed them to minors at a summer program in the area has pleaded guilty to sexual offenses against two boys both between nine and ten.
The defendant was detained after eight children and one adult experienced illness at the facility in mid-summer.
The 76-year-old, from that region, pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges when he was present at the judicial center on recently.
Yet, he denied one particular crime he was facing, which was involving a nine-year-old child.
Ruben was remanded in custody ahead of a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Sweet game'
Mary Prior KC, handling the case, outlined the defendant's actions to the legal proceedings.
She said his victims were children from difficult backgrounds who were participating in a summer program which he managed.
The defendant played a "sweet game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel stated, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and tell them to consume candy "rapidly".
She told the court the defendant had played this game with the young males "for many years", and minors had earlier experienced illness the next day.
She said the man 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 added: "Recently" his stepchild had concerns about the activities, with valid cause.
"They chose" to investigate in the man's possessions."
The prosecutor stated materials including lubricant, Vaseline and syringes were discovered, and his stepson alerted the police about his suspicions.
She said Ruben continued to engage in the "sweet game" with six boys that time - that Saturday - and they were all ill the following morning.
"Authorities" had not gone out by that time," she continued.
The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was examining law enforcement's management of the situation.
Mrs Prior stated the youngsters were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so the stepson notified the law enforcement again.
She explained the defendant then played the "sweet game" in a area of five children.
