Cain Velasquez has reportedly been granted bail after spending around eight months in jail. According to MMA Junkie’s Nolan King, Velasquez was granted bail earlier today by Judge Arthur Bocanegra.
The report emphasized that Judge Bocanegra cited Velasquez’s reputation as a family man. The tremendous support Velasquez has received from the MMA community led the judge to believe that he won’t be a repeat offender.
On February 28, 2022, former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez was involved in a high-speed chase with accused child abuser Harry Goularte Jr. in Santa Clara County, California. Goularte’s mother Patricia and stepfather Paul Bender were present in his vehicle at the time.
Velasquez is said to have pursued them and rammed his vehicle into theirs. He then purportedly fired multiple rounds at Goularte’s vehicle. While Goularte and Patricia were unhurt, Bender suffered non-life-threatening injuries. In the aftermath of the incident, Velasquez was immediately arrested.
The MMA legend was charged with attempted murder (one count), shooting at a motor vehicle or aircraft (one count), carrying a loaded firearm with intent to commit a felony (one count), and wilfully discharging a firearm from a vehicle (one count), assault with a firearm (three counts), and assault with a deadly weapon (three counts).
Additionally, it was revealed that if found guilty, Velasquez faces up to 20 years in prison.
Cain Velasquez’s alleged attack on accused child abuser Harry Goularte Jr.
Cain Velasquez’s arrest and the shooting incident sent shockwaves across the MMA community. It was particularly owing to his stellar reputation as a widely-revered UFC veteran and upstanding member of the combat sports world.
It was later unraveled that Velasquez attacked Harry Goularte Jr. as he suspected that the latter had perpetrated acts of sexual abuse against his (Velasquez’s) four-year-old child.
Furthermore, it’s been alleged that the abuse took place at the daycare center that Velasquez’s son attended. The daycare was run by Goularte’s mother Patricia and stepfather Paul Bender. Back in June, a civil lawsuit was filed against Goularte, as well as against his mother and stepfather.
In March of this year, Velasquez was denied bail as the judge believed he poses too great of a risk to the public. In May, Velasquez was denied bail again, with the judge citing his “reckless disregard for human life.”
Velasquez pled not guilty to all charges in August. Moving forward to the here and now, the MMA fighter-turned-professional wrestler is out of jail after being granted a $1 million bail.
