UFC Legend Cain Velasquez Pleads No Contest to Attempted Murder in 2022 Shooting
August 16, 2024
Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velazquez has pled no contest to an attempted murder charge and nine gun assault crimes in exchange for a to-be-determined lighter sentence, per Robert Salonga of The Mercury News.
Velazquez is accused of shooting at a man accused of molesting his four-year-old son at a San Martin, California, daycare, which the man's mother owned and where the man also lived. ESPN's Andreas Hale provided more information.
"Velasquez was accused of shooting at a pickup truck carrying Harry Goularte -- the man accused of molesting Velasquez's then 4-year-old son at a daycare owned by Goularte's mother -- during an 11-mile car chase on the afternoon of Feb. 28, 2022. Goularte was being driven by his stepfather, Paul Bender, as they traveled from Morgan Hill to San Jose. Velasquez reportedly fired multiple rounds at the vehicle with a .40 caliber handgun that missed his intended target and struck Bender in the arm and torso. Velasquez was arrested without incident following the car chase."
Velazquez entered the plea before Judge Arthur Bocanegra at the Santa Clara County Hall of Justice in San Jose, California, per Hale.
Because of the no-contest plea, premeditated murder charges against Velazquez will now be dropped, per Hale. Velazquez will now avoid a mandatory life sentence in prison.
As far as Velazquez's sentencing is concerned, Salonga reported that a hearing is scheduled for Oct. 18. However, the actual sentencing isn't expected until sometime later in 2024.
The Santa Clara County probation department will give a sentence recommendation report, per Salonga, and it will be "weighing the severity of his crime along with potential mitigating factors, including his lack of criminal history and the sexual abuse case in which his son is a reported victim."
Per Hale, Velasquez was released from prison in November 2022 after posting $1 million bail. He is under home detention and supervised monitoring conditions, per Salonga.
Goularte is facing child molestation charges.
