Delaware
Opioid Crisis Action Network head accused of coercing sexual favors from clients
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The head of a Delaware County advocacy group has been charged with using opioid settlement funds to coerce sexual favors from women experiencing addiction.
Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer charged Lawrence Arata, executive director of the Opioid Crisis Action Network, with human trafficking, patronizing prostitutes, obstruction of justice and witness intimidation.
“Our investigation concluded that Larry Arata cynically and cruelly misused those funds as leverage to satisfy his sexual desires,” Stollsteimer said in a statement.
Arata turned himself in on Wednesday to the district attorney’s Criminal Investigation Division and later posted bail. No attorney was listed for Arata in online court records and he did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Opioid Crisis Action Network did not respond to a request for comment.
Lawrence Arata, 65, founded the Upper Darby-based organization in 2018 with his wife, Heather Arata, shortly after their son died from a heroin overdose. The Opioid Crisis Action Network pays for treatment and housing for people with substance use disorder.
The organization was a recipient of opioid settlement money from Delaware County as well as the Pennsylvania Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement Trust, Stollsteimer said. The Criminal Investigation Division, in collaboration with the Upper Darby Police Department, initiated a joint investigation into Arata after receiving complaints.
“The allegations revolve around Arata receiving sexual favors from clients who are in recovery for drug addictions in exchange for program benefits such as meal credits, gift cards, bus passes, money, rental assistance, and the like,” the affidavit of probable cause reads.
Delaware
Power outage number tops 13,000 in Delaware County as storm hits
Storms hit Saturday shortly before 3 p.m. in Delaware County with limbs down on lines, wires down, plus lightning strikes, and quickly nearly 8,000 PECO customers were without power.
There was an accompanying deluge as well in parts of the county, with many low-lying areas flooding. The power outage number continued rising to 10,365 by 3:10 p.m., and to over 13,000 by 3:30. By 4 p.m. that number began to decline.
The first lightning strike dispatch was to a house in the 100 block of Edgewood Avenue in Haverford Township, and crews were dispatched minutes later to the Five Guys on Town Centre Drive in Concord Township.
Crews arriving on both scenes reported nothing was evident, but they would investigate further, according to radio traffic.
Fire stations were also sent to a water rescue in the 2800 block of East County Line Road in Haverford. Police arrived first and reported that half the vehicle was underwater. The officer soon located the driver, who had gotten out and made it to safety, according to radio traffic.
Police, fire and ambulance dispatches continued rapid fire at 3:30 p.m. PECO was asked to respond to numerous locations. Numerous alarm calls were also received at the county communications center.
A National Weather Service-issued severe thunderstorm warning was in effect for eastern Delaware County until 3:30 p.m. There was also a flash flood warning for the same area until 6:45 p.m.
One rainfall measurement was available at 3 p.m. That was St. Davids, where 0.71 inch of rain was recorded in less than 45 minutes, eventual reaching eight-tenths of an inch.
The Philadelphia International Airport recorded 0.32 inch of rain.
Sunny skies were expected to dominate the weather for the workweek, with high temperatures rising into the 90s on Wednesday and likely to stay there at least through Friday.
Delaware
New information on “sophisticated cybercriminal attack” against Delaware County
Saturday, July 11, 2026 1:40PM
MEDIA, Pa. (WPVI) — There is new information about what is being called a “sophisticated cybercriminal attack” against Delaware County.
According to officials, hackers were able to gain limited access to the county’s network and some of the data stored on it.
They are working with cybersecurity experts to learn the extent.
The sheriff’s office, district attorney, libraries and county council have all been dealing with disruptions since the attack on June 26.
The county’s internal networks are now up and running, and work is still ongoing to reinstate external-facing county services.
Copyright © 2026 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.
Delaware
Investigation underway after controversial traffic stop in Delaware
DOVER, Del. (WPVI) — Delaware State Police are investigating a controversial traffic stop making the rounds on social media.
The video shows a trooper forcing a woman out of her car, slamming her to the ground, punching and tasing her.
It happened on July 7, in Dover, Delaware.
But Delaware State Police say the video doesn’t tell the whole story. They released a statement to provide what they call necessary context and clarity.
State police say the woman, identified as 38-year-old Sierra Hopkins, was initially pulled over in the area of S. Bay Road and Lafferty Lane in Dover for having suspended tags, no car insurance, and no driver’s license.
She was issued citations and let go, but then stopped again minutes later by the same trooper on E. Lebanon Road, who decided to follow protocol and have her car towed.
State police say he did this because Hopkins had been cited for the same violations five days earlier.
Things quickly escalated during this stop, with police stating she refused to leave her car, resisting, kicking and scratching the trooper in the face.
It all happened while several juveniles were in the car.
“This is such a vulnerable and tender moment… I’m sure her children were present, which brings another cause of concern because that’s trauma,” said Fleur McKendell, President of Delaware NAACP State Conference.
McKendell says her organization is pushing for a full and thorough investigation.
“It’s really deeply concerning. It’s evoked a lot of strong emotions from myself, my organization, as well as the public. I think it’s important to understand the full context of the content we have viewed before reaching conclusions, so I’m very eager to review available video footage and the circumstances that preceded and occurred during that incident,” says McKendell.
Delaware Governor Matt Meyer is also weighing in on this confrontation.
He released the following statement to Action News:
“Every law-enforcement officer is entrusted with a duty to protect, to serve, and to uphold the dignity and rights of every person, in every community. Policing relies on trust. That trust is not automatic; it is earned every day through mutual respect, integrity and transparency. The people of Delaware deserve transparency, and this administration will not turn away from that responsibility.”
Hopkins was later charged with assault of a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest; driving without a license, endangering the welfare of children and other registration violations.
State police did not mention the current status of the trooper.
Copyright © 2026 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.
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