Camp Leader Jailed for Drugging Children with Tranquilizers

Jon Ruben, a former vet and church administrator, has been sentenced to over 23 years in prison for the sexual abuse of children at a summer camp. Ruben, who had run the camp for at least 27 years, used tranquilizers hidden in sweets to incapacitate vulnerable boys.

Ruben purchased liquid Xanax from the dark web, believing it to be temazepam, to drug the children. He would offer sweets laced with the sedative as part of a "sweet game," with prizes for those who consumed them quickly. Some children fell ill and displayed disorientation after playing this game.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating the response of Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire Police. Two officers and three staff from Leicestershire Police, along with two staff members from Nottinghamshire Police, are under gross misconduct investigation. They are being scrutinized for allegedly delaying the response to serious safeguarding concerns raised about the camp.

This police investigation focuses on the period between the initial call reporting concerns for the children's safety and the eventual attendance of officers. The IOPC's inquiry expanded significantly after initial reviews. Ruben pleaded guilty to 17 offenses, including sexual assault and child cruelty, and an additional offense of drugging his wife.

Ruben's wife described him as a "sadistic, monstrous paedophile." Parents of the victims shared their profound distress and anger in court during his sentencing. Leicestershire Police stated that a wider investigation into Ruben's activities is ongoing, with efforts underway to contact schools and organizations he was associated with.