Former UFC Champion sentenced to prison for attempted murder
Former UFC heavyweight champion Caine Velasquez has been sentenced to five years in prison for a 2022 shooting.
Velasquez pleaded no contest for attempted murder and will face five years in prison minus time already served after appearing at Santa Clara County Hall of Justice on Monday.
However, according to MMA journalist Josh Gross, Judge Arthur Bolcanegra revealed Velasquez will be credited with 1,283 days meaning he will only face 542 days behind bars.
The former UFC star's charges come from an incident in 2022 where he drove his truck in a high-speed chase in pursuit of another vehicle and fired shots from a handgun during the chase.
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The vehicle Velasquez was pursuing was carrying Harry Goularte who ran the daycare Velasquez’s then-4-year-old son attended.
Goularte had been arrested days prior for allegedly 'molesting the boy repeatedly.'
He has since pleaded not guilty to one charge of lewd acts with a minor and is set for trial this summer.
The shots from Velasquez hit the Goularte’s vehicle and injured Goularte's stepfather after he was hit in the arm.
Following the sentence, Patricia Goularte spoke to reporters outside the courthouse.
“The sentence is extremely disappointing. It’s based on alleged allegation that has no basis,” She claimed.
“It is unfounded. We are looking for the opportunity in Harry’s case to prove that as we do have ample amount of evidence to do that. It’s sad that the court system and the public can be influenced by simply somebody stating something with no facts."
In an interview last week ahead of the sentencing, Velasquez said he fully accepted responsibility for his actions and is ready for the consequences of his actions.
“What I did was not correct,” Velasquez admitted.
“I understand that. I paid, and I’ll pay whatever else as far as what I have to do to pay all that back. I don’t think I can pay it back, but I can always learn from my mistakes and help others.
"It’s just information that you never know anybody. Trust your kids. Have that open communication with your kids. When you do go to the bathroom with them when (they’re) very young, you can work your way in there as far as talking to them about what’s appropriate and what is not, so they know to tell you and they can always tell you whenever something is not correct.
"So as far as that goes, it’s basically that the more we get consciously aware of ourselves, the more that light shines on dark things, especially things like that.
"Even with that family and what they’ve done, I can’t have hate like that for them because there are things that I have to move on to and give love to my kids and give love to the people around.
"I’ve got to share this with everybody, so I can’t give hate to them at all. I wish them healing in the best way, whatever that is. I wish that for them. I understand that they have traumas, as well. It’s not right to spread it – no. I’m glad they themselves have stopped because they can’t practice any more as far as daycare.
With my own time, I’ve forgiven them and everything else, and I know my kids are great.”
Tom Jenkins