A Delhi man has pled guilty to charges of committing lewd acts upon a child.

According to the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office, John Ralph Onate, 59, entered guilty pleas on Oct. 20 to the felony charges of committing a lewd act upon a child and a lewd act upon a child 14 to 15 years of age.

Onate first gained attention from law enforcement when an 8-year-old girl came forward and said Onate had been touching her inappropriately from February 2008 to August 2008.

During the investigation, law enforcement learned Onate had engaged in similar conduct with another child several years earlier. This second victim, now an adult, was present in court and asked Deputy District Attorney Elaine Casillas to read a short statement in court, which in part read, “I will never forget. But I do forgive you.”