A former Democratic hopeful for Congress who founded an opioid treatment program has been charged criminally for allegedly using his position to sexually prey on women suffering from opioid addiction, District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer announced Wednesday.

Lawrence “Larry” Arata, 65, of Villas, New Jersey, is charged with 34 counts including trafficking in individuals, patronizing prostitutes, witness intimidation, and obstruction of justice.

Arata, formerly a Haverford public school teacher, is the executive director of the Bryn Mawr-based Opioid Crisis Action Network. He also ran for the 5th Congressional District seat as a Democrat in 2018 , earning the least number of votes after a messy falling out with state Rep. Greg Vitali, D-166, over his flip-flopping on a Congressional bid

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