A person who laced sweets with sedative and distributed them to minors at a summer program in the area has pleaded guilty to sexual offenses against two boys who were between nine and ten.
The accused was detained after eight children and an older person fell ill at the location in mid-summer.
The senior citizen, from that region, pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges when he stood at the judicial center on Friday.
Nevertheless, he refused to admit one particular crime he was accused of, which was against a young boy.
The defendant was held in detention ahead of a additional proceeding on November 28th.
'Sweet game'
Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, outlined the criminal behavior to the court.
She said his those affected were under-privileged children who were staying at a summer program which he ran.
The man played a "sweet game" with the children, the legal counsel stated, in which he would go into the sleeping quarters when they were getting ready for bed and ask them to eat sweets "as fast as possible".
She informed the proceedings the defendant had engaged in this activity with the young males "repeatedly", and children had previously become sick the next day.
She explained the man had been capable of justifying this for many years as the minors being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepson had suspicions in July 2025.
The legal representative continued: "In the summer" his stepchild had worries about the situation, for good reason.
"They decided to examine in the individual's items."
The legal counsel explained materials including baby oil, petroleum jelly and injection devices were discovered, and his stepchild contacted the law enforcement about his worries.
She stated the man went on to conduct the "candy game" with six youngsters that night - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the following morning.
"Authorities" had not responded by that point," she stated further.
The regulatory agency, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, previously told that it was examining the police response of the incident.
The prosecutor explained the children were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so Ruben's stepson called the authorities again.
She said the man then played the "candy game" in a space of five children.
