Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez was sentenced to five years in prison on Monday, for a shooting that saw him chase after a man accused of molesting his son.

Following that incident in 2022, Velasquez pled no contest to attempted murder, felony assault, and other related gun charges last August.

Velasquez, 42, was sentenced in Santa Clara County for what the district attorney’s office called a “vigilante shooting spree”, and he will receive credit for time served. As such, he is expected to be able to leave prison in February 2027.

In February 2022, the retired mixed martial artist fired numerous shots at a truck containing three people, including Harry Goularte, 46, who is facing felony child molestation charges, per the district attorney’s office.

Velasquez’s defence attorney Renee Hessling said the verdict was “bittersweet”, as they had believed they could keep the former two-time champion out of prison.

“Throughout it all, Cain has shown courage and strength of character,” Hessling said in a statement. “He has taken responsibility for his actions and has been held accountable. The sentence handed down today reflects the complexities of the situation and acknowledges the man behind the headlines.”

Less than a week before the shooting, Goularte was arrested in connection to the sexual assault of a four-year-old at the daycare owned by his family. He was released without bail within a matter of days. Officials said he was released under house arrest and was on his way to retrieve an electronic monitoring bracelet when Velasquez attacked.

Velasquez shot at Goularte’s vehicle during a car chase and twice struck Goularte’s stepfather, injuring him. Goularte himself was uninjured.

“We cannot put the law in our own hands. I know what I did, and I know what I did was very dangerous to other people, you know?

“Not just to people involved, but innocent people. I understand what I did and I’m willing to do everything I have to, to pay that back.”

Velasquez also said it was important to have open and honest conversations with your children about what kind of behaviour is acceptable, and to listen to what they say.

“One man’s decision to take the law into his own hands left an innocent man wounded and endangered schoolchildren, teachers, and many others in our community,” District Attorney Jeff Rosen said in a statement. “If you want to do justice in Santa Clara County, please apply for a badge.”

Velasquez’s sentencing led numerous UFC fighters to take to social media and express their disappointment in the verdict, with many writing: “#freecain”.

Additional reporting by AP.