An individual who contaminated sweets with tranquilliser and distributed them to minors at a summer program in the area has pleaded guilty to sexual offenses against two boys who were nine and ten years old.
Jon Ruben was detained after eight children and an older person experienced illness at the facility in the summer month.
The senior citizen, from that region, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he was present at the courthouse on Friday.
Nevertheless, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was against a nine-year-old child.
The defendant was held in detention ahead of a additional proceeding on late November.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, handling the case, detailed Ruben's offending to the judicial body.
She explained his victims were under-privileged children who were staying at a summer camp which he managed.
Ruben conducted a "candy game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel explained, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to ingest treats "rapidly".
She stated to the judge the defendant had played this game with the boys "repeatedly", and youngsters had previously fallen ill the subsequent day.
She said the defendant had been able to explain this for many years as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his family member had suspicions in July 2025.
Mrs Prior KC stated further: "This year his stepchild had suspicions about what was going on, justifiably.
"They resolved" to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
The legal counsel said objects including baby oil, Vaseline and medical needles were located, and his stepchild notified the law enforcement about his suspicions.
She stated the man continued to engage in the "candy game" with six youngsters that evening - that Saturday - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"Authorities" had not arrived by that stage," she stated further.
The police watchdog, the police conduct office, had stated that it was investigating the police response of the incident.
Mrs Prior said the children were struggling to walk due to being ill, so the stepson notified the authorities again.
She explained Ruben then engaged in the "candy game" in a room of five minors.
