CIBOLA COUNTY, N.M. – A Cubero-area man is facing multiple felony allegations involving child sexual abuse and child sexual exploitation after an investigation that authorities say began with a tip from an outside online predator-hunting group but was later developed through law enforcement’s own investigation.
Floyd Anthony Ethridge was taken into custody April 2 after the Cibola County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at a residence off Water Canyon Road in Cubero. In a press release issued that day, the sheriff’s office said Ethridge was wanted on serious felony charges including criminal sexual penetration of a minor, criminal sexual contact of a minor, and sexual exploitation of children involving manufacturing, distribution and possession.
The office said the FBI assisted in the operation and noted that the investigation remains ongoing and that additional charges may be possible.
Court records reviewed by the Cibola Citizen show a related district court case, State of New Mexico v. Floyd Anthony Ethridge, filed April 6 under case number D-1333-PD-202600007. The case listing shows allegations including first-degree criminal sexual penetration of a child under 13, second-degree criminal sexual contact of a minor, and multiple child sexual exploitation counts. The listed charge date in the case record is May 6, 2024, and a preliminary hearing/pretrial detention hearing is scheduled for April 20 at 9 a.m. in Grants District Court.
That 2024 date became a point of confusion after an online post from Predator Poachers – a group that publicly confronts suspected child predators – claimed it had encountered Ethridge in March 2026 and criticized prosecutors for not immediately charging him.
But Jessica Martinez, speaking on behalf of 13th Judicial District Attorney Barbara Romo’s office, said the district court filing currently visible is tied to a pretrial detention proceeding and that the matter is expected to go before a grand jury before formal district court charges are filed.
Martinez also said the 2024 date in the case record reflects evidence of alleged crimes “that were happening since then,” rather than meaning the case itself was filed in 2024.
According to Martinez, the Predator Poachers contact did alert law enforcement to a potential crime, but Cibola County authorities then had to conduct their own separate investigation. She said prosecutors advised law enforcement to obtain warrants and build their own case, rather than relying solely on statements or materials provided by private citizens.
Martinez disputed an online claim that the DA’s office refused to prosecute the case.
“That’s not what happened,” she said, explaining that law enforcement was instructed to conduct its own investigation, seek warrants for the phone and collect evidence that could support charges in court. She said the information brought forward was enough to justify further investigation, but “not enough to simply arrest him and us immediately charge.”
The DA’s office is also seeking to keep Ethridge in custody while the case proceeds. Martinez said prosecutors hope he remains jailed pending trial, but that decision will ultimately rest with the judge, who must weigh both the seriousness of the allegations and whether any release conditions could adequately protect the public and ensure Ethridge’s appearance in court.
The Cibola Citizen also sought additional comment from the Cibola County Sheriff’s Office regarding the timeline between the March contact and the April 2 arrest, but did not receive a response by press time.
As with all criminal cases, the charges against Ethridge are allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.