Tuesday 20 September 2022

Suspected child molester targeted by MMA star appears in court

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON) -- A man accused of molesting a 4-year-old boy hundreds of times at a daycare center made a brief court appearance in the Santa Clara County Hall of Justice Tuesday morning.

Harry Goularte and his mother who owns the daycare, Patty Goularte, appeared via a Zoom video feed in court while Judge Cynthia Sevely set a preliminary hearing date for Nov. 14. Prosecutors said the hearing will last for nearly two days.

Harry Goularte is charged with molesting a young family member of former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez. Goularte lived at Patty's Daycare, a child care center owned and operated by his mother in San Martin, when the alleged sex abuse occurred.

Harry Goularte's mug shot was released by the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office.

While the accused child molester remains out of custody on bail, Velasquez is still behind bars with no bail. The UFC fighter is charged with attempting to kill Harry Goularte in February during a wild 100-mph chase and shooting on Highway 101 in Morgan Hill and San Jose.

In court documents, Harry Goularte is described as a “predatory pedophile” who molested the 4-year-old boy "hundreds of times" inside one of the daycare's bathrooms. He was arrested after Velasquez reported the suspected sex abuse to police.

Cain Velasquez
Cain Velasquez appears in court on March 2, 2022, in San Jose, Calif. (Aric Crabb / Bay Area News Group / Pool)

Prosecutors said Velasquez was firing a gun at the suspected predator when he accidentally shot Harry Goularte's 63-year-old stepfather, Paul Bender, in the arm. Velasquez was arrested by San Jose Police Department officers following the shooting.

Prosecutors described the UFC fighter's actions as vigilantism.

In April, Velasquez released a statement from jail on Twitter, writing, “This story is complex and slowly unraveling as we speak. To everyone that has expressed your support, my family and I will never be able to thank you enough. Your selfless gestures and kind words have given me strength in my darkest times. To the true victims of this case, may God give you the strength to come forward."

Cain Velasquez, left, throws a punch during a UFC mixed martial arts match in Anaheim, Calif. Oct. 23, 2010. Velasquez won by TKO in the first round. (AP Photo /Jae C. Hong)

A preliminary hearing for Velasquez is slated for October 17.



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