An individual who contaminated candy with sedative and provided them to minors at a youth camp in the area has confessed to sexual offences against two boys aged nine and ten years old.
The defendant was taken into custody after eight youngsters and a grown-up became sick at the facility in mid-summer.
The senior citizen, from the Nottinghamshire area, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court on Friday.
However, he disputed a single sexual charge he was accused of, which was involving a nine-year-old child.
Ruben was kept in jail ahead of a additional proceeding on late November.
'Treat game'
Mary Prior KC, presenting evidence, outlined the defendant's actions to the legal proceedings.
She said his those affected were children from difficult backgrounds who were participating in a summer program which he managed.
The defendant conducted a "sweet game" with the children, Mrs Prior said, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and request they to ingest treats "as fast as possible".
She stated to the judge Ruben had played this game with the young males "for many years", and children had earlier experienced illness the next day.
She said Ruben had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the children being "overstimulated by activities", until his family member had suspicions in recently.
The prosecutor added: "In the summer" his stepchild had concerns about what was going on, for good reason.
"They chose" to examine in the man's possessions."
The prosecutor explained objects including lubricant, ointment and medical needles were located, and his family member alerted the authorities about his concerns.
She explained Ruben continued to play the "treat game" with six youngsters that evening - that Saturday - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not gone out by that point," she continued.
The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, previously told that it was examining Leicestershire Police's handling of the incident.
The prosecutor explained the children were unable to walk properly due to being ill, so Ruben's stepson contacted the police once more.
She stated the man then engaged in the "treat game" in a area of five minors.
