Did Cain Velasquez Kill Someone? What The UFC Star’s Prison Sentence & Charges Revealed

Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez did not kill anyone during his February 2022 vigilante attack, but his actions nearly turned fatal. On March 24, 2025, Velasquez was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading no contest to charges of attempted murder, felony assault, and weapons violations. The incident stemmed from Velasquez’s pursuit of Harry Goularte, a man accused of molesting his then-4-year-old son at a daycare facility owned by Goularte’s mother.

🚨#BREAKING

CAIN VELÁSQUEZ GETS 5 YEARS FOR TAKING JUSTICE INTO HIS OWN HANDS.

Cain Velásquez has been sentenced to five years in prison for chasing and firing at Harry Goularte Jr., the man accused of molesting his 4-year-old son at daycare.

In 2022, Velásquez engaged in an… pic.twitter.com/NcXZ1ubHDX

— The Sphere Report (@thespherereport) March 25, 2025

Velasquez, 42, initiated an 11-mile car chase across California’s Silicon Valley, firing a .40-caliber handgun at a pickup truck carrying Goularte, his mother, and stepfather, Paul Bender. While Goularte—the primary target—escaped unharmed, Bender suffered gunshot wounds to his arm and torso. Bullets also struck near the Charter School of Morgan Hill as students were dismissed, endangering bystanders. Velasquez was arrested after ramming the victims’ vehicle and surrendering without resistance.

The UFC legend later admitted his actions were reckless, stating on a podcast:

“We cannot put the law in our own hands… I understand what I did was very dangerous”

A Complicated Legal Reckoning

Velasquez’s sentencing marked the culmination of a three-year legal battle fraught with delays. Prosecutors initially sought 30 years to life, citing the “vigilante shooting spree” that endangered innocent lives. However, Judge Arthur Bocanegra considered Velasquez’s 1,283 days of credited jail time (nearly 3.5 years) and reduced his sentence to five years total. He will serve approximately 18 additional months in state prison.

BREAKING: UFC champ Cain Velasquez was sentenced to 5 years in prison, with 1,283 days credit for time served. The judge was choked up and had tears in his eyes. He said keeping a son from his father was the worst punishment, and he gave Cain the lightest possible sentence. pic.twitter.com/tnqPaHZtiQ

— Amy Larson (@AmyLarson25) March 24, 2025

The courtroom drama included emotional testimonies from both sides. Velasquez’s wife and 15-year-old daughter pleaded for leniency, while Goularte’s family described the trauma of the attack. Notably, Goularte—who faces separate felony child molestation charges—remains free on bail awaiting trial. Velasquez’s attorney, Renee Hessling, called the outcome

“bittersweet,” emphasizing his client’s remorse: “Cain has shown courage and strength of character. He has taken responsibility”.

The case ignited debates about vigilantism and parental protection. While many sympathized with Velasquez’s paternal instincts, prosecutors stressed that his actions risked countless lives. District Attorney Jeff Rosen condemned the attack as a “dangerous escalation” that could’ve sparked further violence.

Velasquez, a two-time UFC champion and MMA icon, now faces a tarnished legacy. Once celebrated for his dominance in the octagon, his story now serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of taking justice into one’s own hands. As he begins his prison term, the MMA community grapples with the complex intersection of personal trauma and public accountability.