The first openly transgender lawmaker in the U.S., recognized as a pioneering figure, has been implicated in disturbing child sex crimes linked to daycare centers.
Stacey Marie Lawton, a former Democratic representative from New Hampshire, who is biologically male but identifies as female, pleaded guilty last week in a federal court in Boston to various charges, including sexual exploitation of a child, as reported by local news.
She could face a maximum of 30 years behind bars.
Prosecutors claim that Lawton’s ex-partner, Lindsey Groves, shared four photos of her child, believed to be between 3 and 5 years old, with her. The images were reportedly taken in the bathroom of the daycare Groves worked at in Chingsborough, Massachusetts.
After his election to the New Hampshire House of Representatives in 2012, Lawton, who was celebrated for breaking barriers, allegedly asked Groves to take these graphic photos and the two exchanged thousands of texts regarding the matter.
Last month, Groves also pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of sexual exploitation of a child and distribution of child pornography.
Both were indicted in August 2023 on three counts related to child sexual exploitation.
The indictment claims that the explicit photos were captured between May and June 2022 at Creative Minds Daycare, near Nashua, where Groves was employed.
It was noted that Groves took these photographs “taking advantage of the children’s natural bathroom breaks.”
The sentencing for both individuals is set for February. The charges of sexual exploitation carry a potential sentence of 15 to 30 years, along with a lifetime of supervised release and fines that could reach $250,000.
Lawton has a complicated legal history, having resigned twice from the New Hampshire House over various issues, including convictions for credit card fraud and conspiracy to commit fraud in 2008.
