A former transgender New Hampshire state legislator pleaded guilty this week to sexual exploitation of children.
Stacie Laughton, a biological male and Democrat, was elected to the New Hampshire House three times and resigned twice over legal problems. He is now facing up to 30 years in prison for child sex crimes.
In 2023, Laughton, 41, of Nashua, New Hampshire, and his former intimate partner and daycare worker, Lindsay Groves, were charged with child exploitation. Groves admitted to taking sexually explicit photos of children at the daycare and sending them to Laughton. Laughton was charged with one count of sexual exploitation of children and aiding and abetting, according to the DOJ.
“According to the charging documents, a preliminary forensic review of Groves’ cellphone allegedly revealed over 10,000 text messages between Laughton and Groves that included discussion about, and transfer of, explicit photographs that Groves had taken of children while employed at Creative Minds daycare – including at least four sexually explicit images of children who appear to be approximately three to five years old, as well as explicit descriptions of sex with each other and others, including children,” the DOJ said.
Groves was charged with one count of sexual exploitation of children and one count of distributing child pornography.
“The charge of sexual exploitation of children provides for a sentence of at least 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case,” the DOJ said.
As reported by WMUR 9 ABC:
Former New Hampshire state Rep. Stacie Laughton pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to charges including sexual exploitation of children in a child sex abuse images case.
The plea comes after her former partner, Lindsay Groves, admitted last month to taking sexually explicit photos of children at the Massachusetts day care where she worked and sending them to Laughton.
Federal investigators said four photos of children who appeared to be between 3 and 5 years old were sent to Laughton.
Officials said Laughton asked Groves for the photos and the two exchanged thousands of text messages about them.
Laughton was elected to the New Hampshire House three times but resigned twice over separate legal issues.
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