A Central Florida man drugged an exchange student with cannabis-infused chocolates and alcohol before sexually abusing the child.
51-year-old Dmitri Kostyunin, a former Apopka High School teacher, was sentenced in a Lake County courtroom for his guilty conviction in a sexual battery case on an exchange student. Kostyunin was sentenced to Life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Kostyunin was found guilty back in April of this year, on charges of Engaging in an Act that Constitutes Sexual Battery upon a Child 12 Years of Age or Older but Younger than 18 years of Age by a Person in Familial or Custodial Authority, Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor, and Delivery of Cannabis to a Person Under the Age of 18 Years by a Person Over the Age of 18.
“The defendant’s actions violated the trust placed in him and severely impacted the well-being of a child within our community,” stated Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney Bill Gladson. “I am grateful that he now will spend the rest of his life behind bars, unable to harm another child.”
This case started in October of 2023, when officials with the Mount Dora Police Department were contacted by special agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) who were informed by authorities in Italy about an incident that occurred at Kostyunin’s home in Mount Dora, involving an exchange student who is an Italian citizen.
The student reported the sexual abuse committed by Kostuynin to family members back home, who reported the crime. Detectives responded to Apopka High School to meet with the victim regarding the allegations. The victim relayed to detectives that they had been residing with Kostyunin, who was their Foreign Exchange Provider, since August.
The victim further explained to officials that Kostyunin had given them cannabis-infused chocolates and alcohol one night while watching a movie together. While the victim was under the influence of both substances, Kostyunin committed a sexual battery on the child.
Shortly after speaking with the victim, investigators interviewed Kostyunin who admitted to giving the juvenile the cannabis-infused chocolate, as well as wine and beer. Kostyunin then stated he blacked out but woke up the next day and knew he made a mistake.
Kostyunin was arrested and taken into custody on October 3, 2023.
The Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office extends its gratitude to the Mount Dora Police Department investigators in this case, along with the Federal Bureau of Investigations and their counterparts in Italy who reported this crime.
This case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Kati Cosden and Chelsey Omega.
