Former UFC Champion Cain Velasquez Sentenced to Five Years for Shooting Targeting Son’s Accused Molester
Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez was sentenced to five years in prison on Monday for a 2022 shooting incident where he targeted a man accused of molesting his son, Al Jazeera reports.
Velasquez, a two-time UFC heavyweight champion, was sentenced in Santa Clara County, California, after pleading no contest last August to attempted murder, felony assault, and other related gun charges stemming from what the District Attorney’s Office described as a “vigilante shooting spree.” He will receive credit for time already served.
The incident occurred on February 28, 2022, when Velasquez fired a gun multiple times at a truck carrying three people, including 46-year-old Harry Goularte, who was facing felony child molestation charges at the time, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Velasquez’s defense lawyer, Renee Hessling, described the result as “bittersweet,” noting that they had hoped to avoid a prison sentence for Velasquez.
The incident followed Goularte’s arrest less than a week prior in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a four-year-old at a daycare owned by his family. Goularte was released without bail a few days later, placed under house arrest, and was on his way to retrieve an electronic monitoring bracelet when Velasquez attacked.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, Velasquez engaged in a car chase, firing at Goularte’s truck for 17.7km (11 miles). While Goularte was uninjured, his stepfather, who was driving the truck, was hit twice by gunfire.
In an appearance on his former teammate Kyle Kingsbury’s podcast, Velasquez acknowledged that his actions were “not the way to do it.” He also emphasized the importance of open and honest conversations with children about appropriate behavior and listening to their concerns.
Velasquez rose to fame as a dominant force in the UFC, becoming the heavyweight champion on October 23, 2010, after defeating then-champion Brock Lesnar at UFC 121.
