Former New Hampshire Rep. Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation
Stacie Laughton, a former New Hampshire Democrat representative who identifies as a transgender woman, recently entered a guilty plea for her involvement in the sexual exploitation of children. Laughton, born Barry Charles Laughton Jr., had a notable political career, being recognized as the first openly transgender individual elected to a U.S. state legislature in 2012. However, her tenure in the New Hampshire House of Representatives was marked by multiple resignations after elections in 2012, 2020, and 2022 and a troubled past involving arrests for domestic violence and other charges.
This week, Laughton also admitted guilt in a Boston federal court regarding additional allegations linked to her partner, Lindsay Groves. Groves confessed to sending sexually explicit images of children—distinctly child sexual abuse material (CSAM)—to Laughton. These images reportedly included photos of children estimated to be aged between three to five years, taken while Groves worked at a daycare in Tyngsborough, Massachusetts, from 2022 to 2023. The investigation began in June 2023, following a tip to the Nashua police.
As reported by The Union Leader, court documents revealed that Laughton had requested these explicit images from Groves. They discussed various forms of abuse they wanted to inflict on children and capture it in photographs. Evidence from over a thousand text messages between them illustrates the severity of their conversations.
“It is alleged that, between May 2022 and June 2023, Groves took nude images of children at the daycare and sent the photos to Laughton,” noted a Department of Justice statement in the criminal complaint. “Specifically, Groves allegedly utilized routine bathroom breaks for the children to take several images in a private bathroom before sending them to Laughton.”
Laughton and Groves face three counts each of sexually exploiting minors, with Groves facing an additional charge for distributing CSAM, according to reports. The former legislator, now disgraced, could face a mandatory minimum of 15 years, with a maximum sentence of up to 30 years in prison, alongside the potential for supervised release and financial penalties reaching $250,000.
Laughton previously expressed her motivations for serving in office, stating a desire to create positive changes in her community focusing on issues like mental health, homelessness, and social services. She aimed to help felons reintegrate and secure better opportunities within society.
In light of these serious charges, the community is left grappling with the implications of Laughton’s fall from grace.
