By Shawn Stewart
According to a report from NBC Sports Bay Area, former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez was sentenced to five years in prison during a hearing at the Santa Clara County Hall of Justice in San Jose, California, on Monday.
Velasquez was present in court Monday after pleading no contest to attempted murder, felony assault and additional gun charges stemming from a February 2022 incident in which the former fighter fired a gun at a truck containing multiple people. During a high-speed chase, Velasquez shot at the vehicle containing Harry Goularte, who was accused of molesting Velasquez’s son. One of the shots hit and injured Goularte’s stepfather, Paul Bender.
During the sentencing hearing, prosecutors asked Judge Arthur Bocanegra give Velasquez 30 years to life in prison, while the defense lobbied for no time in prison. Velasquez will also get credit for 1,283 days of time served. The sentencing brings an end to a case that lasted three years and experienced multiple delays. Goularte, meanwhile, has pleaded not guilty to one charge of lewd acts with a minor. His trial is currently set for June 2.
Velasquez spent approximately eight months in jail before he released on $1 million bail in November 2022. He remained under GPS surveillance and was not allowed to leave his home without the court’s permission, which was granted on multiple occasions to attend professional wrestling and MMA events.
During an interview on the Kyle Kingsbury Podcast prior to sentencing, Velasquez said that he was ready to accept responsibility for his actions.
“From what I can say as far as myself, the way that I handled things was not the way to do it,” Velasquez said (transcription via MMAjunkie.com ). “We cannot put the law in our own hands. … I’ve already pled [no contest], so I’m going to get a sentencing [Monday]. I know what I did, and I know what I did was very dangerous to other people, you know? Not just people involved, but to innocent people. I understand what I did and I’m willing to do everything I have to (in order) to pay that back. Whatever the court feels correct for what I have to do, I’m going to do it with my head up and still be me and not play the blame game. It was me that did that and reacted in that way.
“What I did was not correct,” Velasquez added. “I understand that. I paid and I’ll pay whatever else as far as what I have to do to pay all that back. I don’t think I can pay it back, but I can always learn from my mistakes and help others. It’s just information that you never know anybody. Trust your kids. Have that open communication with your kids. When you do go to the bathroom with them when [they’re] very young, you can work your way in there as far as talking to them about what’s appropriate and what is not, so they know to tell you and they can always tell you whenever something is not correct. So as far as that goes, it’s basically that the more we get consciously aware of ourselves, the more that light shines on dark things, especially things like that.”