Port Orange police arrested a local Jiu-Jitsu coach on Wednesday after tracking him down more than 1,500 miles from the gym where he taught, closing out an investigation into what detectives describe as a monthslong inappropriate relationship with a 16-year-old student.
Estevan Gabriel Martinez-Garcia, 33, was taken into custody in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with assistance from local authorities there. He had already relocated across the country by the time Port Orange investigators caught up with him.
Police say the relationship between Martinez-Garcia and the teenager began in spring 2025 and continued into this spring, following what investigators describe as a grooming pattern that escalated over time. The Port Orange Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division says it wasn’t made aware of the situation until July 2026. From there, detectives traced Martinez-Garcia’s movements, located him in New Mexico, and coordinated with the Albuquerque Police Department to carry out the arrest. He remains in custody as the investigation continues.
Martinez-Garcia taught at Bully Me Now, a mixed martial arts gym owned by Victor Ezeir, where his role put him in regular contact with students, including minors. Ezeir told Channel 9 that concerns about Martinez-Garcia’s behavior had been raised with him roughly ten months before he took action, ultimately firing him but choosing not to contact police right away.
“I lived by just having trust, and I got burned,” Ezeir said.
Ezeir added that he held off reporting in part because the 16-year-old had denied that anything inappropriate was occurring.
That account hasn’t sat well with others connected to the gym. In the days since the arrest, messages and screenshots attributed to gym members have circulated online, describing a timeline that predates what Ezeir has said publicly. One member claims no police report was filed until July 20, when they and another gym member went to authorities themselves, more than a month after Martinez-Garcia had already been removed from the academy and from Ezeir’s home. According to that member, law enforcement indicated no earlier report had been made, raising concerns that the delay may have allowed further harm to occur. Multiple gym members reportedly raised concerns about the relationship with Ezeir before any formal report was filed.
Among the accounts circulating is one describing a competition trip to Texas, where more than one person allegedly witnessed concerning behavior between Martinez-Garcia and the teen while Ezeir and another adult, identified as “Damaris,” were reportedly present. Roughly two weeks later, according to the same accounts, Ezeir took the student and two other minors on a trip to Fort Lauderdale without additional adult supervision. Other messages describe a separate gathering at a hotel where similar concerning behavior was allegedly observed.
Damaris disputed elements of that account in a message of her own, stating the teen was never left alone with Martinez-Garcia in Texas and that she and others shared a nearby room. She added that she removed the teen from the situation once she noticed concerning behavior and immediately informed Ezeir. A separate message shared in what’s described as a gym group chat offers a firsthand account claiming neither Ezeir nor Damaris intervened despite being present.
A freelance journalist with more than seven years of experience covering a wide range of topics, with a focus on delivering accurate, engaging, and well-researched reporting. He studied at the University of Birmingham, where he developed a strong foundation in journalism and communications. Martin is a 10th Planet BJJ brown belt and has been training for approximately 10 years and a keen follower of submission grappling.
