Former UFC champion Cain Velasquez, already imprisoned for five years after pleading no contest to charges including attempted murder, is facing further legal repercussions from a 2022 car chase incident.
At a recent court hearing, Velasquez`s attorney, Renee Hessling, addressed a restitution hearing, which will determine the financial compensation owed to the victims. Velasquez himself was not present at the hearing.
While the judge postponed the hearing to June 3rd, Hessling stated that reaching a restitution agreement is proving difficult due to the victims` financial demands.
“The victims in this case are requesting an extremely high sum of money,” Hessling argued in court. “The defense believes this amount is unreasonable, and we plan to contest it.”
California law mandates that crime victims receive restitution from the convicted individual. However, the exact amount Velasquez will be required to pay remains undecided.
Velasquez`s prison sentence stems from an 11-mile high-speed pursuit of Harry Goularte, accused of molesting Velasquez`s young son. During the chase, Velasquez fired shots at the vehicle, injuring Goularte`s stepfather, Paul Bender, who sustained non-life-threatening wounds.
Goularte is also facing separate charges, and his next court appearance is scheduled for June. Additionally, Velasquez`s family has filed a civil lawsuit against Goularte and his mother`s daycare related to the alleged abuse of his son.
Regarding the restitution hearing, Hessling emphasized that she is still awaiting information from the victims before attempting to negotiate a settlement on the final amount Velasquez will owe.
Hessling indicated that several unresolved issues need to be addressed and potentially litigated in court during the future restitution hearing.
“It is clear that Mr. Velasquez owes restitution in this case,” Hessling acknowledged. “However, some claims include demands for daycare costs, reaching $1 million in restitution on that aspect alone.”
“We are definitely challenging this, but [Deputy District Attorney Aaron French] is correct in that we can likely agree on certain points and then narrow down the remaining disputed issues.”
Prosecutor Aaron French mentioned that the victims have hired their own attorney for the restitution hearing and are hoping for a quick resolution.
“The victims are eager to move forward from this chapter,” French stated. “We hope the defense will have the necessary documents by the next court date so we can schedule a hearing shortly after.”
Judge Elizabeth C. Peterson has set the next court date for June 3rd to determine the schedule for the restitution hearing.
Velasquez is currently incarcerated at Wasco State Prison in California and is eligible for parole as early as March 2026.
