An individual who laced sweets with tranquilliser and gave them to minors at a youth camp in the area has pleaded guilty to sexual offenses against two young males who were between nine and ten.
The accused was taken into custody after eight minors and a grown-up became sick at the location in the summer month.
The elderly man, from the Nottinghamshire area, confessed to a multiple criminal counts when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court on recently.
Yet, he denied one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was against a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was kept in jail before a subsequent court date on late November.
'Sweet game'
Mary Prior KC, presenting evidence, detailed the defendant's actions to the court.
She said his targets were children from difficult backgrounds who were staying at a summer program which he managed.
The man engaged in a "candy game" with the youngsters, the prosecutor said, in which he would enter the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and request they to ingest treats "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings the defendant had played this game with the children "repeatedly", and minors had previously become sick the next day.
She said the man had been successful in rationalizing this repeatedly as the children being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepson had suspicions in recently.
The legal representative continued: "Recently" his stepchild had suspicions about the situation, justifiably.
"They chose" to have a look in the man's possessions."
The prosecutor stated objects including baby oil, petroleum jelly and syringes were located, and his stepson notified the law enforcement about his suspicions.
She explained Ruben proceeded to conduct the "candy game" with six children that night - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the following morning.
"Authorities" had not arrived by that point," she continued.
The oversight body, the investigative body, had stated that it was examining Leicestershire Police's handling of the events.
The prosecutor stated the minors were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so Ruben's stepson notified the police once more.
She stated the man then engaged in the "sweet game" in a space of five children.