Cain Velasquez will wait until Aug. 19 for the plea hearing in his attempted murder case in California. In the meantime, a civil lawsuit has now been filed against Harry Goularte, the man accused of sexually molesting the former UFC heavyweight champion’s son.
The latest delay in Velasquez’s criminal case comes with another court date scheduled on Aug. 5 for motion hearings before his official plea hearing two weeks later.
Velasquez is currently being held without bail after he allegedly engaged in an 11-mile high speed chase, firing multiple rounds of a .40 caliber handgun at a car carrying Goularte, who had been arrested and released from custody after he was charged with lewd acts with a minor child. Goularte later pled not guilty to the charges, but his release came against the recommendation of the prosecutor.
The chase ended after Velasquez allegedly shot Goularte’s stepfather Paul Bender, who suffered non-life threatening injuries before police arrested the retired fighter without incident.
As Velasquez continues to battle his own criminal case, an extensive lawsuit has been filed against Goularte, his business Certified Custom Concrete, his mother Patricia Goularte, her business Patty’s Childcare, and against Bender. News of the lawsuit was first reported by MMA Junkie.
The lawsuit, which identifies a four-year-old victim with the initials “C.V.” who was previously identified by Velasquez’s attorney Mark Geragos as Velasquez’s son, alleges general negligence, negligent hiring, supervision, retention, training and investigation, sexual battery, and sexual misconduct/sexual harassment.
According to lawsuit documents obtained by MMA Fighting, Goularte, who allegedly had “daily access” to the children being cared for at his mother’s business, was alone at times with the victim in the bathroom and the outside playhouse.
Goularte is accused of removing the victim’s clothing, touching the victim’s scrotum and penis, and exposing himself to the child. Goularte is accused of doing so “numerous times during 2021 and 2022.” The lawsuit also notes that the minor child “suffered extensive personal injury including, but not limited to, severe emotional distress, humiliation and embarrassment as a result of the actions and conduct” of Goularte.
The lawsuit notates that Patty’s Childcare had previously been cited for “failures to supervise the children attending the daycare.”
The 13-page complaint was filed by attorneys Warren Paboojian and Jason Bell, who are representing the minor child named in the lawsuit, and they are seeking general damages, special damages, and punitive damages specifically named against Goularte.
The first hearing on the lawsuit will come on Sept. 6 for a conference on the case management. Goularte is due back in court on his criminal case on Sept. 20 for a preliminary hearing.
If convicted of all charges, Goularte faces up to eight years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine.
As for Velasquez, he’s remained in jail since he was first arrested in February, with bail requests twice being denied. Velasquez faces attempted premeditated murder charges that carry a sentence of 20 years to life in prison if convicted.