Cain Velasquez released on parole after 2022 shooting linked to son’s case

Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez has been released on parole after serving time in prison for an attempted murder conviction stemming from a 2022 shooting linked to a case involving his young son, according to multiple US media reports.

Velasquez, 43, was released on Sunday, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation confirmed to The Athletic, as reported by The New York Times. His projected parole date had previously been moved up to February 2026 after he received credit for time served.

2022 shooting incident

Velasquez was arrested in February 2022 after allegedly chasing a vehicle carrying Harry Goularte Jr., a daycare worker charged with lewd acts involving a minor under 14.

Prosecutors said Goularte was accused of repeatedly molesting Velasquez’s four-year-old son at a home daycare. Goularte had been released on bond days earlier and was travelling to obtain a court-ordered GPS ankle monitor when Velasquez began pursuing the vehicle, authorities said.

During the chase, Velasquez allegedly rammed the vehicle with his truck and fired multiple shots. One bullet struck Paul Bender, Goularte’s stepfather, in the arm, causing non-life-threatening injuries. Goularte was not injured.

Plea and sentencing

Velasquez initially pleaded not guilty. However, in 2024 he entered a no-contest plea to several felony charges, including attempted first-degree murder, shooting at a motor vehicle, assault with a firearm and discharging a firearm from a vehicle.

In March 2025, a judge sentenced him to five years in prison and four years of supervised probation. He received credit for time served in county jail and under house arrest while the case proceeded through the courts, making him eligible for earlier parole.

He is scheduled to return to court on June 3 for a hearing to determine how much restitution he owes Bender and members of the Goularte family.

Separate legal proceedings ongoing

The criminal case against Goularte remains ongoing. A trial-setting conference is scheduled for April 15, when a trial date is expected to be determined.

Separately, Velasquez and his family have filed a civil lawsuit on behalf of his son against Goularte, Bender and Patricia Goularte, who operated the home daycare where the alleged abuse occurred. The lawsuit alleges negligence and claims the defendants helped conceal the alleged abuse. A jury trial in the civil case is scheduled for November.

Velasquez rose to prominence in 2010 when he defeated Brock Lesnar to win the UFC heavyweight championship. He later reclaimed the title before retiring from professional mixed martial arts in 2019 with a 17-3 record.

His parole marks the latest development in a case that drew national attention and divided public opinion within the sporting world and beyond.