Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez has been sentenced to five years in prison for attempting to kill a man accused of sexually assaulting his four-year-old son.
Velasquez was arrested in 2022 after a car chase where he fired shots at a vehicle carrying Harry Goularte, the man he believed had harmed his child. Although Goularte was not injured, Velasquez accidentally shot Goularte’s stepfather.
A court in Santa Clara, California, sentenced Velasquez on Monday. He was given credit for three years of time served, meaning he will likely serve two more years in prison.
Goularte is facing a felony charge for lewd acts with a minor and is set to go to trial on June 2.
Before his sentencing, Velasquez expressed remorse for his actions. He admitted that what he did was dangerous and that innocent people could have been hurt. He stated that he takes full responsibility and will accept the court’s decision.
Despite the incident, Velasquez has said he forgives the Goularte family, who operated the daycare where the alleged assault occurred. He explained that he wants to focus on giving love to his children and moving forward.
Cain Velasquez is a two-time UFC heavyweight champion. He won his first title in 2010 by defeating Brock Lesnar but lost it to Junior dos Santos. He later regained the title in 2012 before losing it again to Fabricio Werdum.
This case has drawn strong reactions from the MMA community, with many expressing support for Velasquez. However, the court ruled that his actions were too dangerous, leading to his five-year sentence.
