Former UFC champion Cain Velasquez was sentenced to five years in prison Monday for a 2022 shooting where he chased after the man accused of molesting his son. Velasquez pleaded no contest to attempted murder, felony assault, and other related gun charges. He will receive credit for time served.
In February 2022, Velasquez fired multiple shots at a truck carrying three people, including Harry Goularte, who faces child molestation charges. Goularte was released without bail after being arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a 4-year-old at his family’s daycare. Officials said he was under house arrest when Velasquez attacked.
Velasquez shot at the truck in a car chase lasting over 11 miles before Goularte was uninjured but his stepfather, driving him, was hit twice. Velasquez has since sued Goularte and his family for negligence and sexual battery.
On his former teammate’s podcast, Velasquez expressed regret for his actions, saying he should not have taken the law into his own hands. He acknowledged that his behavior put innocent people at risk and vowed to make amends. District Attorney Jeff Rosen condemned the incident, stating that taking matters into one’s own hands can lead to harm and is not an acceptable solution to justice.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/cain-velasquez-ufc-fighter-shooting-attempted-murder-prison-803b4ba8b705dc1057248f01b3a4092d