Dorm Room Arsenal: 1,500 Rounds Lead Cops To Hidden AR-15 In College Dorm | Crime Alert 4PM 12.08.25

A weapons arrest at a private college in Florida unfolds after a large ammunition delivery to a dorm room leads police to an AR-15 hidden under a student’s bed. A traffic stop in Florida turns into a bomb scare and weapons case after a driver claims he has a “dirty bomb” inside his truck during a crash investigation. Drew Nelson reports. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Crime a art hourly update Breaking crime news Now. I'm
Drew Nelson. A frightening weapons arrest at a private college
in Florida unfolds after a large ammunition delivery to a
dorm room leads police to an AR fifteen hidden under
a student's bed. Winter Park police arrested Constantine Dmitriades, aged
twenty one, December three. He is a senior at Rawlins

(00:21):
College charged with possession of a firearm on school property.
A judge rule he is eligible for pre trial release.
Rawlin's College barred him from campus while the student disciplinary
process moves forward. The case began when campus officials learned
that fifteen hundred rounds of nine millimeters ammunition had been
ordered online and shipped to Dmitriad's on campus apartment. Rawlins

(00:44):
security contacted police officers searched the dorm apartment, which Dmitriades
shared with three roommates. He had his own bedroom inside.
A campus safety officer found an unloaded AR fifteen under
his bed inside an unsecured black carrying case. One magazine
was loaded, five others empty. Students are rightfully alarmed. I'm

(01:04):
happy they found it because I've seen him are on
campus and if they didn't do anything about it, I
personally fear for my safety. Like, if that was a resolved,
he could just be super interested in, you know, firearms.
But then again, that's no excuse. Police also found a
tactical vest, multiple knives, ear protection, a black security vest,

(01:24):
and a pistol storage case. Dimitriades told investigators the rifle
was purchased legally and registered in New Jersey. He said
he traveled there with the gun over Thanksgiving break and
returned to campus early Tuesday morning. Told police he usually
stores the firearm at a friend's home off campus. He
said he brought it inside because he arrived late. He
said he had no bad intentions and that he likes

(01:45):
to shoot as a hobby. He also told police he
knew weapons were not allowed on campus and that his
New Jersey concealed carry permit does not apply in Florida.
Rowlin's college policy bans all firearms on campus, with no
exceptions for licensed owners. Kate Brewer, who is a sophomore
who shares mutual friends with the suspect on the rowing team,
gasped when WFTV showed her a picture of the suspect.

(02:08):
My friend, she's like rowing with him every morning. That's terrifying.
Brewer questions why the weapon was brought onto campus in
the first place. This is like a gun free, like
pilance free campus, so I think that's terrifying. Demitrieta's faces
up to five years in prison on the weapons charge.
The criminal case and school discipline process are both ongoing.

(02:30):
More crime and Justice news After this, a traffic stop
in Florida turns into a bomb scare and weapons case
after a driver claims he has a dirty bomb inside
his truck during a crash investigation. Benjamin Donald Johnson, age
forty three, is now booked into the Polk County Jail.

(02:52):
He faces charges that include hoax, weapon of mass destruction,
false report concerning a bomber, explosive, unlawful possession of a
controlled substance, and resisting officers without violence. Roads near the
scene had to be shut down for hours. Police say
the investigation into the weapons remains active. The incident began
late Friday near the Public's grocery store at three nine

(03:13):
eight eight three Highway twenty seven in Davenport. Officers with
the Haines City Police Department responded to a report of
a crash involving a Chevrolet Silverado. Johnson was behind the wheel.
Police say he refused multiple commands to get out of
the truck. Officers then pulled him out by force. Several
firearms were visible inside the vehicle. When detained in the

(03:34):
back of a patrol car, an officer Herd Johnson said
there was a quote unquote dirty bomb in the truck.
Officers spotted a yellow plastic container secured with chains and locks.
The container had a radioactive warning label. Police backed away
and cleared the area. That's when they shut down the
roads nearby so the Bureau of Fire, Arson and Explosives
and a bomb squad could come in. A Florida State

(03:56):
Fire investigator arrived before the bomb squad and confirmed the
container would quote emitting positive radioactivity. Investigators from the Florida
Department of Law Enforcement ATF and a bomb technician from
the FBI later examined the device. Police confirmed the container
held a moisture density gauge. It is commonly used for
soil testing. Authorities said it contained less radioactivity than a

(04:17):
medical X ray. A full search of Johnson's truck followed.
Officers recovered an arsenal of guns and ammunition. They also
found magazine, speed loaders, thermal scopes, knives, a battering ram,
night vision goggles, cannabis, flower and THHC gummies. Johnson told
investigators he was in the area for work. He said
he had been living out of his vehicle with his dog.

(04:38):
The dog was released to animal control. The yellow container
was taken to the Haines City Police Department for further
inspection by the Florida Bureau of Radioactive Materials. Paul edwin
Overby Junior was last seen in mid May of twenty
fourteen in cost City, Afghanistan, while conducting research for a book.
He was working near the border area on his way

(04:59):
in towards Ziristan, in Pakistan's federally administrated tribal areas. He
was never seen again. He is white with white hair
and hazel eyes, about five feet nine, one hundred seventy
pounds when he disappeared, speaks English, Pastu, and German. Investigators
believe he was detained in Pakistan and later killed. No
public confirmation of his fate has ever been released. The

(05:19):
Rewards for Justice program with the United States Department of
State is offering up to five million dollars in reward
money Anyone with information has urged to contact their local
FBI office or the nearest American embassy or consulate. You
can contact eight hundred, call FBI or tips dot FBI
dot gov. For the latest crime and justice news, follow
Crime Alert hourly update on your favorite podcast app with

(05:42):
this crime Alert. I'm Drew Nelson.