UFC star Cain Velasquez facing decades behind prison bars

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON) — The fate of former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez is now in the hands of a Santa Clara County judge.

Last week, Velasquez gave up his right to a jury trial when he pleaded “no contest” to attempted murder and eight additional charges. Prosecutors said the mixed martial arts fighter went on a “vigilante shooting spree” when he tried to kill a suspected child molester in 2022.

Judge Arthur Bocanegra has wide discretion when he decides Velasquez’s punishment and hands down a sentence in October.

Velasquez signed a plea form obtained by KRON4 on Tuesday. The form states, “I understand the maximum sentence for the charges I am pleading guilty or no contest to is a state prison term of 40 years (and) 4 months to life.”

The judge could sentence the UFC star with the maximum punishment, or Bocanegra could let Velasquez go with zero prison time.

Prosecutor Aaron French told KRON4, “The judge could grant him probation with no additional custodial time as the minimum.”

The district attorney’s office did not make any deals with Velasquez setting parameters for how severe the sentence will be. On August 16, Velasquez was convicted of attempted murder, shooting at an occupied vehicle, assault with a firearm, assault with a deadly weapon, and willful discharge of a gun from a vehicle.

Investigators said Velasquez was seeking vigilante justice when he fired a gun at a suspected pedophile, Harry Goularte, in Morgan Hill on Feb. 28, 2022. Prosecutors said Velasquez missed his target and Goularte was uninjured. Goularte’s father-in-law, Paul Bender, was struck by bullets and survived.

Just days before the shooting, one of Velasquez’s children reported being molested by Goularte inside a San Martin daycare, court documents show. Goularte was arrested, but he was quickly released from jail.

A defense attorney wrote that Velasquez felt “severely provoked by seeing Goularte freely out in the community to continue to abuse other children.”

District Attorney Jeff Rosen said, “This defendant decided to become judge, jury, and executioner. His actions endangered innocent bystanders.” Rosen said Velasquez should have allowed the criminal justice system to do its job.

Velasquez will remain out of custody on bail as he awaits his sentencing hearing. He is scheduled to be sentenced at 9 a.m. on October 18 in the Santa Clara County Hall of Justice, according to court records.

Goularte, 43, of San Martin, is facing child molestation charges. He is scheduled to appear in court on November 13 to set a date for his jury trial. Goularte has pleaded not guilty.

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