Families Confront the Aftermath
In the courtroom, parents of the young victims nodded through tears as the details were recounted.
Susan Ruben addressed the court, dismantling the image her husband had cultivated over decades.
“He spent decades trying to paint a picture that he was a righteous, honorable man, when he was actually a sadistic, monstrous pedophile,” she said.
In a joint statement issued after the hearing, the victims’ parents described Ruben as a “devious child sexual predator” who had “portrayed himself as a good Christian.”
“He took away our children’s right to be children, to be safe and protected,” they said. “He has caused the most heart-breaking emotional and psychological damage and our children continue to suffer every day because of what he did.”
Authority Turned Into a Weapon
Prosecutor Mary Prior told the court that Ruben exploited both faith and professional standing to shield his actions.
He “used his cloak of Christianity and his position of authority and trust” to abuse the boys, she said.
Prior also noted that Ruben drew upon his medical expertise as a veterinary surgeon to administer the sedatives — transforming specialized knowledge into a tool for harm.
The sentencing marks the legal conclusion of the Jon Ruben sexual abuse suit, though for the victims and their families, the emotional toll remains — a reminder that trust, once shattered, leaves scars far deeper than any prison term can measure.
