A man who spiked treats with sleeping medication and distributed them to children at a summer program in the area has pleaded guilty to sexual offenses against two children both nine and 10.
Jon Ruben was arrested after eight minors and a grown-up fell ill at the facility in mid-summer.
The 76-year-old, from that region, confessed to a series of 17 offences when he stood at the courthouse on Friday.
Nevertheless, he disputed one particular crime he was facing, which was concerning a young boy.
Ruben was kept in jail before a additional proceeding on late November.
'Treat game'
Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, outlined Ruben's offending to the legal proceedings.
She explained his victims were disadvantaged youngsters who were participating in a youth camp which he managed.
The defendant engaged in a "treat game" with the children, Mrs Prior said, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were settling down and ask them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She told the court the defendant had played this game with the children "over an extended period", and youngsters had previously become sick the following morning.
She said the man had been able to explain this repeatedly as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had suspicions in recently.
Mrs Prior KC added: "Recently" his family member had worries about what was going on, justifiably.
"They resolved" to examine in the defendant's belongings."
The legal counsel stated objects including lubricant, ointment and injection devices were located, and his stepchild alerted the authorities about his worries.
She stated the defendant went on to engage in the "sweet game" with six boys that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were everyone unwell the subsequent day.
"Authorities" had not arrived by that time," she added.
The oversight body, the investigative body, had stated that it was reviewing law enforcement's management of the incident.
The prosecutor explained the youngsters were having difficulty walking due to their sickness, so Ruben's stepson contacted the authorities once more.
She stated the defendant then conducted the "candy game" in a room of five children.
