Estevan Martinez-Garcia arrested for alleged grooming of teenage student

Estevan Gabriel Martinez-Garcia, a 33-year-old former mixed martial arts instructor, was arrested in Albuquerque, New Mexico, following allegations of inappropriate conduct with a 16-year-old student in Port Orange, Florida.

According to the Port Orange Police Department, investigators determined that Martinez-Garcia engaged in grooming behavior, including sexual contact and the exchange of sexual images, between spring 2025 and spring 2026. He faces multiple charges, including sexual battery on a minor, unlawful use of a communications device, and harmful explicit communication to a minor.

Following the news of the arrest, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner Tom DeBlass issued a statement regarding the incident. DeBlass identified Martinez-Garcia as a former instructor at Bully Me Now and noted that his own organization had previously severed ties with that affiliate. DeBlass warned his approximately 80 global affiliates that any instructors found engaging in similar conduct would be reported to law enforcement immediately.