A man who laced candy with tranquilliser and distributed them to minors at a summer camp in the area has confessed to sexual crimes against two boys both between nine and ten.
Jon Ruben was taken into custody after eight minors and an older person became sick at the location in July.
The senior citizen, from the Nottinghamshire area, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he stood at the judicial center on Friday.
However, he denied a single sexual charge he was charged with, which was involving a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was held in detention before a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Treat game'
The prosecutor, handling the case, outlined the defendant's actions to the legal proceedings.
She stated his targets were children from difficult backgrounds who were attending a summer camp which he ran.
The defendant played a "sweet game" with the minors, the legal counsel said, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to consume candy "as fast as possible".
She stated to the judge Ruben had conducted this practice with the young males "over an extended period", and minors had previously fallen ill the subsequent day.
She explained Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this repeatedly as the children being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepchild had suspicions in recently.
The legal representative continued: "In the summer" his stepson had suspicions about the situation, with valid cause.
"They resolved" to have a look in the individual's items."
Mrs Prior KC stated items including lubricant, petroleum jelly and injection devices were located, and his stepson alerted the authorities about his concerns.
She explained the defendant continued to play the "candy game" with six youngsters that night - that Saturday - and they were all ill the following morning.
"Authorities" had not responded by that stage," she continued.
The police watchdog, the investigative body, had stated that it was reviewing the police response of the events.
The prosecutor explained the children were struggling to walk due to being ill, so the family member contacted the law enforcement once more.
She said Ruben then engaged in the "sweet game" in a room of five children.
