Crimes against children

TAVARES, Fla.—A former high school teacher has been sentenced to life in prison for sexually battering a foreign exchange student last year. A Lake County jury found Dmitri V. Kostyunin, 51, guilty of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, delivery of cannabis to a person under 18 and sexual battery in March. Kostyunin was employed as a science teacher at Apopka High School when he was arrested in October 2023 after the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) contacted Mount Dora Police Department and stated a “sexual incident” occurred at Kostyunin’s home in Mount Dora. The victim told authorities that […]

TAVARES, Fla.—A former high school teacher has been found guilty of sexually battering a foreign exchange student last year, along with other charges related to the incident. A Lake County jury found Dmitri V. Kostyunina, 51, guilty of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, delivery of cannabis to a person under 18 and sexual battery last week in Tavares, according to Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney Bill Gladson’s office. Kostyunina was employed as a science teacher at Apopka High School when he was arrested in October 2023 after the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) contacted Mount Dora Police Department