The man accused of molestation in the Cain Velasquez case, Harry Goularte, has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
Goularte, 43, currently faces a felony charge of lewd acts with a minor child – with the reported victim later being identified as Velasquez’s four-year-old son. Goularte was arrested earlier this year and released on $50,000 bail, and just one day later, Velasquez fired a gun at Goularte and accidentally struck his stepfather Paul Bender.
As a result of these actions, Velasquez is now facing attempted murder charges of his own and has been denied bail on two separate occasions.
Just In: Harry Goularte just pled not guilty (virtually) at a hearing in Morgan Hill, Calif. He's the man accused of "lewd acts with a minor" and alleged Cain Velasquez shooting target. More details below, in addition to what's next. https://t.co/hQraIdePpC
— Nolan King (@mma_kings) June 6, 2022
If convicted, Goularte could face up to eight years in prison. Velasquez, meanwhile, is set to return to court on Friday for a plea hearing.
Velasquez’s attorney Mark Geragos said the following when Velasquez was denied bail.
“It’s especially outrageous when you realize that the accused pedophile and his stepfather, who did nothing but protect [Goularte] at the daycare center, are parading around like victims. If there’s any silver lining, it’s that the judge realizes that clearly we have a viable defense. We will assert it and we will assert it vigorously.” (ESPN)
Bender, the man who suffered the injuries in question, also issued a statement against the former UFC heavyweight champion regarding the shooting incident and why he doesn’t believe he should be released.
“Cain Velasquez has no respect for human life. He could’ve easily shot the family in the car next to us, innocent pedestrians, or even young children. Cain Velasquez does not care who sees him do this. He does not care about the rule of law and has no respect for our judicial system.”
Many MMA fans and fighters alike have come out in support of Velasquez over the course of the last few months, and will likely continue to do so as it goes on.