A man who spiked treats with sedative and provided them to children at a summer program in the area has pleaded guilty to sexual offenses against two children aged nine and 10.
Jon Ruben was detained after eight children and one adult became sick at the location in mid-summer.
The senior citizen, from that region, confessed to a multiple criminal counts when he appeared at the courthouse on Friday.
However, he refused to admit a single sexual charge he was accused of, which was against a nine-year-old boy.
Ruben was held in detention before a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Treat game'
The prosecutor, prosecuting, outlined Ruben's offending to the court.
She stated his those affected were children from difficult backgrounds who were staying at a youth camp which he operated.
The man played a "treat game" with the youngsters, Mrs Prior said, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and ask them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings the man had engaged in this activity with the children "for many years", and minors had previously become sick the next day.
She explained the defendant had been successful in rationalizing this repeatedly as the minors being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepchild had concerns in recently.
Mrs Prior KC stated further: "This year his stepchild had worries about the activities, justifiably.
"They resolved" to investigate in the defendant's belongings."
The legal counsel stated items including lubricant, Vaseline and medical needles were found, and his stepchild alerted the police about his suspicions.
She said Ruben continued to engage in the "candy game" with six youngsters that time - that Saturday - and they were all ill the following morning.
"The police had not arrived by that point," she added.
The regulatory agency, the investigative body, previously told that it was reviewing Leicestershire Police's handling of the events.
Mrs Prior said the youngsters were having difficulty walking due to their sickness, so the stepson called the law enforcement again.
She explained the defendant then conducted the "treat game" in a area of five youngsters.
