Cain Velasquez is heading to prison. The former two-time UFC heavyweight champion was sentenced to five years for attempted murder and other charges at a hearing Monday at the Santa Clara County Hall of Justice in San Jose, California, ending a three-year saga that has been repeatedly delayed in the courts.
Velasquez, 42, faced 10 felony charges stemming from a 2022 incident in which he engaged in an 11-mile high-speed car chase with Harry Goularte, who is accused of molesting Velasquez's then 4-year-old son on “multiple occasions." Velasquez fired several shots through his windshield from a .40-caliber handgun during the chase into a car carrying Goularte, Goularte's mother and Goularte’s stepfather, Paul Bender, resulting in non-life threatening injuries to Bender due to a gunshot wound to his arm. Photos showing Goularte’s truck lined with bullet holes were presented again to the court before Monday's sentencing.
Velasquez's 10 charges ranged from attempted murder, shooting at a motor vehicle or aircraft, assault with a firearm, assault with a deadly weapon, willfully discharging a firearm from a vehicle and carrying a loaded firearm with intent to commit a felony.
“My dad has always been my biggest supporter. My dad is why I’m strong as a person. He has the biggest heart,” Velasquez's daughter said.
Velasquez's sentence includes time served. The former champ spent nearly one year incarcerated following the 2022 incident as well as nearly two years on house arrest with an ankle monitor.
Local outlet KRON4 reported that Bocanegra was emotional and "had tears in his eyes" as he delivered Velasquez's sentence.
Goularte currently awaits his own June 2 trial date after pleading not guilty to one charge of lewd acts with a minor.
Velasquez's family has filed a separate civil lawsuit against the Goularte family and their businesses.
sports.yahoo.com
He'll be out in no time.
