Cain Velasquez Released Early
Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez was released on parole from California state prison after serving 11 months of a five-year sentence. Velasquez had pleaded no contest to charges in March 2025, and his early release is expected to generate discussion about second chances in professional fighting.
- The charges stemmed from a February 2022 incident where Velasquez engaged in an 11-mile, high-speed car chase, ramming a truck and firing a .40-caliber handgun into it multiple times. The man he was targeting was uninjured, but his stepfather was struck and wounded. - Velasquez's intended target was Harry Goularte Jr., a man who had been arrested for allegedly molesting Velasquez's then-4-year-old son at a daycare run by Goularte's mother. Goularte had been released from custody on a personal recognizance bond over the objections of the District Attorney's office just days before the shooting. - Initially, Velasquez faced a charge of attempted murder, which could have carried a sentence of 20 years to life in prison, along with multiple other gun assault charges. - The case against Harry Goularte Jr. is still pending. He has pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of lewd acts with a minor, and his trial is expected to begin in March 2026. - Velasquez's five-year sentence was significantly reduced by credit for time he had already served. He spent nine months in county jail before being released on a $1 million bail and was then placed under house arrest until his trial. - In addition to the criminal case, Cain Velasquez has also filed a civil lawsuit against Harry Goularte and his family's daycare business, alleging negligence and sexual battery. - Throughout the legal proceedings, Velasquez received public support from figures in the MMA community. UFC CEO Dana White wrote a letter to the court on his behalf, calling him a "model example of how a professional athlete should carry himself."
