SouthernWorldwide.com – A former New Hampshire state representative, who is transgender, has been sentenced to over 33 years in federal prison after admitting to receiving nude photographs of children from a Massachusetts daycare.
Stacie Marie Laughton, 41, of Nashua, received her sentence of more than 33 years behind bars. This follows her guilty plea to charges of sexual exploitation of children, as reported by local news outlet WCVB.
Laughton obtained these explicit images from her former intimate partner, Lindsay Groves, 40, of Hudson, New Hampshire. Groves was sentenced earlier this month to 22 years in prison, according to the same report.
Groves, who had previously pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual exploitation of children and one count of distribution of child pornography, was employed at the Creative Minds daycare in Tyngsborough, Massachusetts. This information comes from a statement released by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.
Authorities stated that between May 2022 and June 2023, Groves took multiple photographs of prepubescent children. These photos were taken in a private bathroom during routine diaper and pull-up changes, just before nap time.
Groves then transmitted these images to Laughton via text messages, as confirmed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
A forensic examination of the cellphones belonging to Laughton and Groves revealed over 10,000 text messages exchanged between them within a single month in 2023.
Court documents further indicated that these messages included discussions and the transfer of explicit images of children. The victims identified were as young as 3 to 5 years old.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has confirmed that all children involved in the case have been identified, and their families have been notified by law enforcement officials.
Officials at the Hillsborough County jail have confirmed to NH Journal that Laughton is currently being housed within the male population of the jail.
