A man who contaminated treats with tranquilliser and provided them to minors at a youth camp in the area has confessed to sexual offenses against two young males who were between nine and ten.
Jon Ruben was taken into custody after eight children and an older person fell ill at the facility in the summer month.
The elderly man, from that region, admitted guilt to a total of 17 charges when he was present at the judicial center on Friday.
Yet, he denied a single sexual charge he was facing, which was against a nine-year-old boy.
Ruben was held in detention ahead of a subsequent court date on November 28th.
'Treat game'
The prosecutor, presenting evidence, detailed Ruben's offending to the legal proceedings.
She said his victims were children from difficult backgrounds who were attending a youth camp which he operated.
Ruben conducted a "candy game" with the youngsters, the prosecutor stated, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were getting ready for bed and request they to eat sweets "rapidly".
She told the court Ruben had conducted this practice with the children "repeatedly", and minors had earlier experienced illness the following morning.
She explained the defendant had been able to explain this repeatedly as the youngsters being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had suspicions in recently.
The prosecutor continued: "This year his stepson had suspicions about what was going on, for good reason.
"They chose" to examine in the defendant's belongings."
The legal counsel stated materials including lubricant, Vaseline and syringes were found, and his stepchild notified the police about his suspicions.
She stated the man continued to engage in the "candy game" with six children that evening - July 26th - and they were all ill the following morning.
"Law enforcement" had not responded by that point," she added.
The oversight body, the investigative body, earlier informed that it was examining the police response of the events.
The prosecutor explained the children were unable to walk properly due to being ill, so Ruben's stepson called the police again.
She stated the defendant then engaged in the "candy game" in a room of five children.
