A former instructor at Bully Me Now Mixed Martial Arts in Port Orange, Florida, faces multiple charges after police accused him of grooming and sexually abusing a 16-year-old student.
The allegations against Estevan Gabriel Martinez-Garcia raise serious questions not only about his alleged conduct but also about the gym’s response to repeated warnings. Bully Me Now owner Victor Ezeir reportedly admitted that multiple people expressed concerns about the coach’s interactions with the teenager over approximately 10 months.
When adults warn a youth-serving organization that a coach’s behavior appears troubling, the organization must act. It cannot place the burden on a teenager to confirm or disprove suspected grooming.
Martinez-Garcia has not been convicted and remains presumed innocent unless prosecutors prove the charges against him.
Key Takeaways
- Estevan Gabriel Martinez-Garcia, 33, formerly coached at Bully Me Now MMA in Port Orange.
- Police accuse him of grooming and having sexual contact with a 16-year-old student between spring 2025 and spring 2026.
- Investigators allege Martinez-Garcia also sent sexually explicit images to the teenager.
- Police arrested him in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on September 9, 2026.
- The gym owner reportedly acknowledged that multiple people warned him about the coach’s behavior over approximately 10 months.
- The owner said the gym had no formal policies or protocols in place to address such concerns.
- These reported warnings may become important evidence in determining whether the gym had notice of a foreseeable danger and failed to protect the student.
What Are the Allegations Against Estevan Martinez-Garcia?
The Port Orange Police Department began investigating Martinez-Garcia after receiving a report on July 20, 2026.
Police allege that Martinez-Garcia used his role as a jiu-jitsu coach to groom a 16-year-old student at Bully Me Now MMA. According to investigators, the alleged abuse occurred between spring 2025 and spring 2026 and involved sexual contact and sexually explicit images sent to the teenager.
After Martinez-Garcia left Florida, investigators traced him to the Albuquerque area. The Albuquerque Police Department’s Fugitive Apprehension Support Team arrested him on September 9. Port Orange police say Martinez-Garcia confessed after detectives located him in New Mexico. WFTV reported that he remained in custody pending extradition proceedings.
Martinez-Garcia faces charges of:
- Sexual battery by an offender age 24 or older upon a victim age 16 or 17;
- Unlawful use of a two-way communications device;
- Harmful explicit communication to a minor; and
- Lewd or lascivious behavior involving written solicitation of a minor.
Gym Owner Reportedly Received Multiple Warnings
The most troubling institutional question involves what the gym owner reportedly knew before authorities began their investigation.
Ezeir told WFTV that multiple people raised concerns about Martinez-Garcia during a period of approximately 10 months. According to the report, people told Ezeir that they observed interactions between the coach and teenager that made them uncomfortable.
Ezeir said he eventually fired Martinez-Garcia but did not immediately contact police because the teenager denied that anything improper was happening. Later, a woman who reportedly knew Martinez-Garcia contacted Ezeir with additional information. Ezeir showed those messages to the teenager, who then disclosed what allegedly occurred.
Ezeir also expressed regret that he did not contact police sooner. Most significantly, he reportedly acknowledged that the gym had no formal policies or protocols in place to address alleged misconduct or protect young athletes. WFTV’s investigation details the owner’s account.
These admissions deserve close scrutiny.
A Teenager’s Denial Does Not Eliminate a Gym’s Duty to Act
Children and teenagers commonly deny or minimize sexual abuse, particularly when an alleged perpetrator has groomed them.
Grooming can create loyalty, secrecy, fear, confusion, shame, and a false sense of responsibility. A young person may believe they consented, fear getting the coach in trouble, worry that adults will blame them, or fail to understand that an adult deliberately manipulated the relationship.
For these reasons, a youth organization should never treat a child’s initial denial as proof that warning signs are meaningless.
Once multiple people reported uncomfortable interactions involving a coach and a minor student, the gym should have taken immediate protective steps. Depending on the circumstances, those steps could have included:
- Separating the coach from the student;
- Prohibiting private or electronic contact;
- Preserving messages and other potential evidence;
- Interviewing witnesses without coaching the child;
- Consulting law enforcement or child protection authorities;
- Notifying the child’s parent or guardian when appropriate; and
- Conducting a documented, independent investigation.
Repeated warnings over many months may establish that the danger was foreseeable. The precise timing, content, recipients, and handling of each report will likely matter in any civil investigation.
Could Bully Me Now MMA Face Civil Liability?
Potentially. The available reporting does not establish civil liability, but the owner’s statements raise substantial questions about notice and the gym’s response.
A survivor may have civil claims against a youth sports organization if its negligence enabled or prolonged sexual abuse. Potential claims can include negligent hiring, supervision, retention, training, or failure to implement reasonable child-protection policies.
An investigation should determine:
- Who first reported concerns about Martinez-Garcia;
- When each warning reached the owner or other gym personnel;
- What conduct witnesses described;
- Whether the gym documented the reports;
- Whether anyone restricted Martinez-Garcia’s access to the teenager;
- Whether staff reviewed communications between the coach and student;
- Why the gym did not immediately notify authorities;
- When the gym fired Martinez-Garcia;
- Whether the gym informed the teenager’s parents;
- Whether other adults observed grooming or boundary violations;
- Whether Martinez-Garcia had unsupervised access to other minors; and
- Whether other students have made complaints.
If people repeatedly warned the owner for 10 months while the alleged grooming and sexual abuse continued, that evidence could support an argument that the gym knew or should have known Martinez-Garcia presented a danger to the student.
The Absence of Written Safety Policies Matters
Ezeir reportedly told WFTV that Bully Me Now had no formal policies or protocols that he could change after the allegations surfaced.
Youth-serving gyms should not rely on personal trust as their child-protection system. Martial arts instructors often develop close relationships with students, serve as mentors, communicate outside class, travel to competitions, and gain significant influence over young athletes.
That access requires enforceable safeguards, including:
- A rule against private adult-minor communications;
- Parent access to all electronic messages;
- Two-adult supervision whenever possible;
- Restrictions on isolated one-on-one training;
- Clear physical-contact and professional-boundary standards;
- Mandatory reporting procedures;
- Staff training on grooming behaviors;
- A written complaint process; and
- Immediate response protocols when someone raises a concern.
Trust does not replace supervision. A lack of policies can create predictable opportunities for abuse and leave staff unprepared when warning signs emerge.
Civil Claims Are Separate From the Criminal Case
The criminal prosecution will determine whether Martinez-Garcia committed the charged offenses. A civil sexual abuse lawsuit serves a different purpose: it allows the survivor to seek compensation and investigate whether institutional failures contributed to the harm.
Depending on the facts, recoverable damages may include:
- Emotional distress and psychological trauma;
- Counseling and medical expenses;
- Pain and suffering;
- Educational or athletic disruption;
- Lost income or diminished earning capacity; and
- Other long-term effects of the abuse.
A criminal conviction is not necessarily required to pursue a civil claim. Survivors and their families should speak with an experienced civil sexual abuse attorney promptly so counsel can preserve messages, witness accounts, personnel records, surveillance footage, and other evidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Estevan Gabriel Martinez-Garcia?
Estevan Gabriel Martinez-Garcia is a 33-year-old former jiu-jitsu instructor at Bully Me Now MMA in Port Orange, Florida. Police accuse him of grooming and sexually abusing a 16-year-old student.
What charges does Martinez-Garcia face?
He faces charges of sexual battery involving a 16- or 17-year-old victim, unlawful use of a two-way communications device, harmful explicit communication to a minor, and written solicitation of a minor.
Did the gym owner receive warnings?
According to WFTV, owner Victor Ezeir said multiple people raised concerns about Martinez-Garcia’s behavior over approximately 10 months. He acknowledged that he did not immediately contact police.
Does Bully Me Now MMA still employ Martinez-Garcia?
No. The owner said he eventually fired Martinez-Garcia.
Can a gym be responsible for sexual abuse committed by a coach?
Potentially. A gym may face civil liability if negligent supervision, retention, training, or deficient safety policies enabled the abuse. Prior warnings may provide critical evidence that the gym knew or should have known about the risk.
Does a teenager’s denial excuse an organization from investigating?
No. Groomed children often deny or minimize abuse. An organization must evaluate warning signs, protect the child, document concerns, and comply with applicable reporting obligations.
Speaking With a Jiu-Jitsu Sexual Abuse Lawyer About Your Rights
Parents trust martial arts gyms to build confidence, strength, and discipline—not to expose children to grooming and sexual abuse. When multiple people warn an owner about a coach’s behavior, the organization must respond with urgency.
Andreozzi + Foote represents survivors of sexual abuse by coaches, instructors, mentors, and other trusted adults. Our attorneys investigate both alleged perpetrators and the organizations that may have ignored warning signs or failed to protect young people.
To speak confidentially with an experienced sexual abuse lawyer, call Andreozzi + Foote at (866) 858-3790 or email info@vca.law. Your consultation is free and confidential.
This article discusses allegations contained in police statements and news reports. Estevan Gabriel Martinez-Garcia is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Photos courtesy Bullymenow.com and Fox17
