Cain Velasquez is heading to jail. The previous two-time UFC heavyweight champion was sentenced to 5 years for tried homicide and different costs at a listening to Monday on the Santa Clara County Corridor of Justice in San Jose, California, ending a three-year saga that has been repeatedly delayed within the courts.
Santa Clara County Superior Court docket Choose Arthur Bocanegra oversaw the case. NBC Bay Area first reported the decision Monday.
Velasquez, 42, confronted 10 felony costs stemming from a 2022 incident through which he allegedly engaged in an 11-mile high-speed automobile chase with Harry Goularte, who’s accused of molesting Velasquez’s then 4-year-old son on “a number of events.” Velasquez fired a number of pictures by means of his windshield from a .40-caliber handgun throughout the chase right into a automobile carrying Goularte, Goularte’s mom and Goularte’s stepfather, Paul Bender, leading to non-life threatening accidents to Bender resulting from a gunshot wound to his arm. Pictures exhibiting Goularte’s truck lined with bullet holes had been introduced once more to the courtroom earlier than Monday’s sentencing.
Velasquez’s 10 costs ranged from tried homicide, taking pictures at a motorized vehicle or plane, assault with a firearm, assault with a lethal weapon, willfully discharging a firearm from a car and carrying a loaded firearm with intent to commit a felony.
Velasquez pleaded no contest to all costs associated to his case. Prosecutors sought a sentence of 30 years to life for Velasquez, whereas the protection hoped to realize time served and probation. Influence statements from Velasquez, his spouse and his 15-year-old daughter had been delivered earlier than Monday’s proceedings, in line with native experiences, with Velasquez’s daughter pleading the courtroom to permit the previous UFC star to attend her high-school soccer video games. Statements from Harry Goularte and the Goularte household had been additionally learn.
“My dad has at all times been my largest supporter. My dad is why I’m robust as an individual. He has the largest coronary heart,” Velasquez’s daughter stated.
Velasquez’s sentence contains time served. The previous champ spent almost one 12 months incarcerated following the 2022 incident in addition to almost two years on home arrest with an ankle monitor.
Native outlet KRON4 reported that Bocanegra was emotional and “had tears in his eyes” as he delivered Velasquez’s sentence.
Goularte at present awaits his personal June 2 trial date after pleading not responsible to 1 cost of lewd acts with a minor.
Velasquez’s household has filed a separate civil lawsuit in opposition to the Goularte household and their companies.
Talking lately on the podcast of former teammate Kyle Kingsbury, Velasquez expressed regret for his actions and accepted no matter punishment got here his means. Velasquez additionally stated he has forgiven Goularte’s household for what occurred; Goularte’s mom ran the daycare the place the alleged molestation occurred.
“What I did was not right,” Velasquez stated. “I perceive that. I paid and I’ll pay no matter else so far as what I’ve to do to pay all that again. I don’t suppose I will pay that again, however I can at all times be taught from my errors and assist others. It’s simply info that you simply by no means know anyone. Belief your children. Have that open communication along with your children.
“[But] the way in which that I dealt with issues was not the way in which to do it. We can not put the legislation in our personal arms.”
Velasquez (14-3) is among the most embellished heavyweights of his period. He first captured the UFC heavyweight title in 2010 with a first-round knockout of Brock Lesnar, then gained the belt again once more in 2012 with a revenge win over Junior dos Santos. A prodigious expertise whose profession was perennially snakebitten by accidents, Velasquez defended his championship twice with wins over Antonio Silva and in a trilogy bout in opposition to dos Santos, earlier than struggling a 2015 loss to Fabricio Werdum. Velasquez solely fought twice extra — as soon as in 2016 and as soon as in 2019 — earlier than stepping away from MMA totally.
Velasquez then briefly pursued skilled wrestling and even signed with WWE from 2019-20 earlier than being launched from his deal resulting from monetary cuts throughout the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Velasquez was anticipated to serve as the manager of Team Dubai for the International Struggle League’s debut season in 2025, alongside his longtime coach at San Jose’s American Kickboxing Academy, Javier Mendez. That clearly will not occur in mild of Monday’s information.
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