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Former UFC Champion and WWE performer Cain Velasquez plead no contest on Friday 8/16 as part of a deal that would see him avoid trial and potentiall receive leniency. In 2022, Velasquez was charged with first degree attempted murder, multiple counts of assault with a deadly weapon, and shooting an occupied motor vehicle, among other charges. He has been facing up to 70 years in prison.
Velasquez was arrested after opening fire at a car carrying 43-year old Harry Eugene Goularte, driven by his stepfather, Paul Bender with Bender being struck by a bullet and hospitalized with non life-threatening injuries. Goularte had been charged with molesting an underage relative of Velasquez at a home daycare center run by his mother in San Martin, California. Goularte, who lives at the home, was chargd with one felony count of a lewd and lascivious act with a child under the age of 14. That case is still making its way through the criminal court system.
San Jose authorities stated at the time that Velasquez followed Goularte in his own Ford F-250. He allegedly began shooting into the Chevy Silverado driven by Bender, who was shot. Cain also allegedly rammed into the car with his own truck and continued firing. Velasquez left the scene of the incident but was taken into custody up the road without further incident. Police found a 40-caliber semi-automatic handgun in Cain's truck. They also noted they found two 10-bullet magazines in the vehicle, noting that 8 total bullets were missing from the mags.
The East Bay Times is reporting that as part of the plea deal, Velasquez "will be convicted but not subject to a mandatory life sentence after premeditation allegations were dropped in accordance with a plea agreement with the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office." Velasquez will be sentenced after the County's probation department provides their recommendation.
Velasquez, a former UFC Heavyweight Champion, retired from Mixed Martial Arts in 2019 and transitioned into professional wrestling. After working a few Lucha Libre AAA shows, he signed with WWE in 2019 and worked one match against Brock Lesnar at Crown Jewel 2019, where he lost. After being released from WWE in 2020, Velasquez returned to pro wrestling in 2021, working a match at Lucha Libre AAA’s Triplemania Regia event in December 2021.
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