Summary:
- Cain Velasquez will spend five years in prison for a 2022 shooting targeting a man accused of molesting his son.
- The former UFC champion pursued and shot at Harry Goularte during an 11-mile car chase.
- Goularte, charged with child molestation accusations at the time, was wounded during the incident.
Monday’s hearing at the Santa Clara County Hall of Justice in San Jose resulted in Cain Velasquez’s lengthy three-year trial finally coming to an end.
The ex Former Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champion received a five-year prison sentence for a violent shooting incident that he was involved in three years ago in South Bay.
In February 2022, the 42-year-old pursued and opened fire on a man accused of sexually abusing his son.
The sentencing followed Velasquez’s no-contest plea to attempted murder, felony assault, and multiple firearm-related offenses last August. The fighter will receive credit for the time he has already served.
The shooting incident unfolded when Velasquez engaged in a car chase and fired multiple shots at a truck carrying three individuals.
One of the passengers was Harry Goularte, who was facing charges of felony child molestation.
According to data from the district attorney’s office, the 46-year-old man had been released without bail days earlier after being arrested in connection to an alleged sexual abuse of a four-year-old child at a daycare operated by his family.
At the time of the attack, he was reportedly en route to receive an electronic monitoring bracelet as part of his house arrest conditions.
The chase extended over an 11-mile stretch before gunfire struck the truck’s driver, Goularte’s stepfather.
Despite being targeted, Goularte himself was not injured. Prosecutors later described Velasquez’s actions as a “vigilante shooting spree”.
District Attorney Jeff Rosen condemned Velasquez’s actions, stating,
One man’s decision to take the law into his own hands left an innocent man wounded and endangered schoolchildren, teachers, and many others in our community. If you want to do justice in Santa Clara County, please apply for a badge.
Velasquez’s attorney, Renee Hessling, spoke about the complexity of the case while describing its outcome as “bittersweet”.
Hessling also noted that while they had hoped to secure a sentence that would keep the former fighter out of prison, he had demonstrated strength in accepting responsibility.
Throughout it all, Cain has shown courage and strength of character. He has taken responsibility for his actions and has been held accountable.
The two-time UFC Heavyweight Champion has also filed a lawsuit against Goularte and his family’s daycare, alleging negligence and sexual battery.
The mixed martial arts pro who also worked for the Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide has expressed remorse for his actions, emphasizing on a podcast with former teammate Kyle Kingsbury that his response was not justified.
We cannot put the law in our own hands. I know what I did, and I know what I did was very dangerous to other people, you know? Not just to people involved, but innocent people. I understand what I did and I’m willing to do everything I have to, to pay that back.
He also stressed the importance of open communication with children regarding appropriate and inappropriate behavior.
About The Author
