Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez was sentenced to five years in prison over a 2022 shooting that injured one man.
Velasquez was a prolific UFC champion who knocked off legendary foe Brock Lesnar for the belt in 2010; his last fight was in 2019.
Now, the former fighter pleaded no contest to attempted murder and other charges connected to the shooting before a Santa Clara, California, judge handed down a five-year sentence.
NBC Bay Area reported Velasquez’s lawyer had requested just probation, but the judge denied this request. It is believed, however, that the 42-year-old will likely serve just one year after getting credit for time served in jail and in-home confinement.
The Santa Clara County district attorney had recommended a sentence of 30 years to life.
Velasquez alleged that Harry Goularte molested Velasquez’s son while he was attending a childcare center operated by Goularte’s mother, Patricia Goularte, and his stepfather, Paul Bender, who run the daycare out of their home in San Martin, California. A lawsuit accusing the business operators was filed in 2022 on behalf of the young boy, the L.A. Times reported.
‘I know what I did was very dangerous to other people.’
Velasquez was recorded on video driving behind a truck with the three defendants in the vehicle during a high-speed pursuit, which reportedly ended with Velasquez ramming his truck into their vehicle before shooting Bender in the shoulder while trying to shoot Goularte.
After Velasquez entered his plea, he gave remarks before his sentencing.
“The way that I handled things was not the way to do it. We cannot put the law in our own hands,” he said on the “Kyle Kingsbury Podcast.” “I know what I did, and I know what I did was very dangerous to other people.”
Bender reportedly no longer has full use of his right arm, while Goularte’s mother called the sentence “extremely disappointing.”
“It’s based on an alleged allegation that has no basis. It is unfounded. We are looking for the opportunity in Harry’s case to prove that.”
The judge reportedly said the situation was a unique case and could not be heard in a vacuum, and noted the accompanying circumstances had to be taken into account.
Multiple UFC fighters spoke out in support of Velasquez, including former champion Jorge Masvidal and contender Gilbert Burns. Both fighters took to their X pages to write “#FREECAIN.”
Fighter agent Ali Abdelaziz went into further detail and said, “This is why I will never live in California.”
“They tried to give this man 30 years for protecting his family and the person who violated his family is still walking in the streets.”
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Fearless, Ufc, California, Father, Sex crime, Sports
