Cain Velasquez Jailed: Justice Served or Failed System?
Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez has been sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to attempted murder in a high-profile case that stunned the sports world.
The verdict follows Velasquez’s admission to firing a gun at a man he believed had sexually abused his young son over 100 times at a daycare facility.
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The incident took place in February 2022, when Velasquez, now 42, allegedly pursued and opened fire on 43-year-old Harry Goularte, who had been charged with lewd acts on a child—Velasquez’s four-year-old son—while working at a daycare operated by his mother. Authorities reported that Velasquez engaged in a high-speed chase through Santa Clara County, California, firing multiple shots from a handgun. One bullet struck Goularte’s stepfather, who was driving the vehicle, though he survived. Goularte himself was unharmed.
A two-time UFC heavyweight champion and one of the sport’s most dominant fighters, Velasquez was arrested shortly after the shooting and faced multiple charges, including attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, and firearm-related offenses. Initially pleading not guilty, he later accepted a plea deal that reduced his potential life sentence to five years in prison.
At his sentencing, Velasquez expressed remorse for his actions but emphasized that he intended to protect his family. “I’m sorry for what I did, but I couldn’t just stand by after what that man did to my son,” he told the court. His legal team argued that he acted out of extreme emotional distress fueled by the trauma his family endured.
The case has divided public opinion, with many in the MMA community and beyond rallying behind Velasquez, viewing him as a father pushed to his breaking point. Supporters launched the “Free Cain” movement, arguing that the justice system failed to protect his son, while others criticized his actions as vigilante justice that endangered innocent lives.
Prosecutors acknowledged the emotional weight of the case but maintained that Velasquez’s actions violated the law. “No one denies the pain Mr. Velasquez and his family suffered, but taking the law into one’s own hands is not the answer,” said Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen following the sentencing.
Meanwhile, Goularte faces his own legal battle, having pleaded not guilty to felony child molestation charges. His trial is pending, and the daycare where the alleged abuse occurred has been shut down and placed under investigation.
