Former Ultimate Fighting Championship boxer great Cain Velasquez has pleaded guilty to a charge that would have spared him a life sentence.
The Santa Clara District Attorney’s Office announced Friday that Velazquez has been acquitted of attempted murder, felony assault and additional firearms-related charges, meaning he will not have to stand trial in front of a jury, which was scheduled for Sept. 9. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Oct. 18, according to the East Bay Times.
In 2022, Velasquez fired a handgun at a truck carrying several passengers, including a man he suspected of sexually abusing his son. Velasquez, who was driving, fired several shots from a .40 caliber pistol while chasing the other vehicle, hitting another individual. During the road trip, the former UFC fighter shot the man he suspected of sexually abusing near a school and was arrested by police in Morgan Hill, California, shortly thereafter.
“This defendant was determined to be judge, jury and executioner,” District Attorney Jeff Rosen said in a statement. “His actions endangered innocent bystanders, including young children and their parents, who could have been injured or killed when he shot his intended victims. This county has excellent law enforcement; let’s let them do their jobs.”
Velazquez pleaded no contest, meaning he will be found guilty but will not be sentenced to life in prison. The terms of the plea have not been made public, and Velazquez will be sent to prison, although his sentence could vary widely depending on factors considered during Judge Arthur Bocanegra’s sentencing.
Paul Bender, who was accidentally shot by Velazquez during the chase, spoke briefly about the plea deal to the East Bay Times: Bender isn’t happy about the fact that Velazquez was released on bail, even though he is under house arrest and wearing a monitoring device.
“In a case like today, where he changed his plea to guilty to 10 violent firearm-related crimes, our system is going to let him go? How is that even possible? I’m looking for someone to explain that to me,” Bender said.
Friend and former UFC fighter Josh Thomson also spoke out about Velasquez’s ordeal, arguing that Velasquez’s nine-month prison sentence and current sentence are punishment enough. Thomson also noted that the man Velasquez shot, Harry Goularte, is currently facing child molestation charges.
“This needs to end. When stories started emerging of a father taking action to protect his children because California’s failed system would not do anything for him, that’s exactly what happened. I believe his sentence is over,” Thompson concluded.
