By RACHEL DAVIS

rdavis@gctelegram.com

A Garden City man convicted of rape was sentenced Tuesday to 24 years in prison, but not before having an emotional exchange with one of his victims during his sentencing hearing at the Finney County Courthouse.

Emilio Zurita-Cruz, 57, was found guilty on Feb. 8 of one count of rape and one count of aggravated criminal sodomy of two girls over a seven-year period. He was charged with 16 counts, but only 12 counts went to the jury. The jury found him not guilty on 10 counts.

One of the girls addressed Zurita-Cruz Tuesday in court and pleaded with him to change his ways.

Zurita-Cruz tearfully answered the girl, stating through an interpreter, "I have begun to change. I am on the road to God."

The girl questioned Zurita-Cruz, asking him why he molested her and her older sister.

"I don't want you to hurt anyone else," she said. "What you did to us, did someone do that to you?"

Zurita-Cruz did not answer the question.

Speaking on his behalf, Zurita-Cruz asked District Judge Robert Frederick for forgiveness before he rendered his decision.

Frederick sentenced Zurita-Cruz to 24 years in prison and granted him a little more than a year and eight months jail credit.

According to previous court testimony, the older girl, who was 10 when the crimes first began, said she was raped every year on her birthday.

The girl said Zurita-Cruz told her it was a gift.

The older girl, now 18, also testified she endured more of the abuse in an attempt to protect her younger sister, now 15.