A transgender former New Hampshire State Representative is now facing federal charges of sexual exploitation of children and aiding and abetting for allegedly using a connection with a daycare worker to collect explicit images of children.
[RELATED: Transgender Former NH State Rep Arrested on Child Porn Charges]
Stacie Marie Laughton, 39, of Nashua, will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date and if convicted for the sexual exploitation of children will face at least 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
Laughton, the first openly transgender lawmaker in the U.S., was previously arrested for stalking and had to resign from office in just 15 days after winning the Nov. 8, 2022 general election.
Prior to stalking a woman, Laughton stepped down after winning another State House of Representatives election in 2012 due to felony convictions for credit card fraud and conspiracy to commit fraud.
Lindsay Groves, 38, the former intimate partner of the State Rep, was arrested on June 22, 2022, on one count of sexual exploitation of children and one count of distribution of child pornography.
Groves told investigators that she and Laughton were previously in an intimate relationship and that Laughton had asked her to capture nude images of children from the daycare center at which she worked.
She also told police Laughton had directed her to inappropriately touch one of the male children while taking a picture, and that she sent the images to Laughton for the State Rep’s sexual gratification.
According to the Massachusetts U.S. Attorney’s Office, an preliminary forensic review of Groves’ cellphone allegedly revealed over 10,000 text messages between Laughton and Groves that included the discussion and transfer of explicit photographs of children at the Creative Minds daycare in Tyngsboro, Massachusetts.
Four of the sexually explicit images were of children who appeared to be approximately three to five years old.
The messages also allegedly contained explicit descriptions of sex between Laughton and Groves, as well as descriptions of sex with children.
Groves remains in state custody in New Hampshire after having a detention hearing on July 13.
Here are a sample of text messages between Laughton and Groves in the U.S. Attorney’s Office Complaint Affidavit:
LAUGHTON: So you would let me f–k the little girls that you work with
LAUGHTON: And you’re not screenshot Ing this and possibly use it against me at all like we’re both on the same page we both want to do this and he would let me put my d-ck inside those little girls I mean what if my d-ck is too big I mean its big but its not that big I think you could fit in there and if it doesn’t fit all the way then I could stop I don’t want to hurt them
GROVES: If they want your d-ck inside them
LAUGHTON: Would you let the little girls suck my d-ckJune 7, 2023, from MA Attorney’s Office Affidavit
GROVES: It’s their choice
LAUGHTON: I was asking because I know we’ve had some back-and-forth and I know we initially said we do nothing with kids ever again and you said you were afraid that if we had kids if they would go back and tell the parents the same with the kids you work with when I was trying to ask you do you seriously see no problem with sex with children like I had always wanted to put my d-ck inside one
of the little girls you work with, but you said they were too little and then you said I could so I don’t know I know you’re horny I’m trying to get clean and I already have the hot water running baby.
GROVES: I want to do it with the kids at workGROVES: than you can put your d-ck inside them
GROVES: I wasn’t being serious about the kids running back and telling their parents
June 7, 2023, from MA Attorney’s Office Affidavit
GROVES: Plus I want to do it with kids who use to come here cause they
can enjoy it
LAUGHTON: Boy, it’s a bummer though I know you were just kidding about the girls at work but I thought that they were going to tell people and it would’ve been just the parents that you knew of the kids that weren’t there anymore and I also thought it would be OK to f-ck them but I mean if a dildo of my size can go in a girl that you were playing with my d-ck should be able to comfortably go in the girls at work but I guess the what you said we’re only want me to rub it, so I guess
that’s what I’ll doJune 13, 2023, From MA Attorney’s Office Affidavit
GROVES: They do want a dildo in them
LAUGHTON: And I’m sorry I talk so much but the other thing I think about is do you think God is OK with us being bad girls I mean I know he created humans to be sexual beings and some would say it’s not OK to have sex outside of a relationship or have you know the type of sexual experiences we wanna have but then again, someone say having sex with kids is a bad thing and God never addresses sex with children in the Bible and God never really condemns say different sexual lifestyles but what do you think? Do you think we still have a place
in heaven? Do you think God would still be OK with me being a minister and also, I was being bad.
GROVES: Yes god is ok with it and we will still go to heaven and he thinks you be a great minister.
LAUGHTON: I mean, I hate to put it out this way what do you think? God is OK with us sucking d-ck in your p—ies the way we want to and the stuff with the kids.June 14, 2023, from MA Attorney’s Office Affidavit
GROVES: I said god will be ok with all of that
In reference to a nude image of a female child, the following text exchange occurred on June 14, 2023:
LAUGHTON: That girl looks sweet
GROVES: Yeah
LAUGHTON: Do you think she would like sucking me and me rubbing my d-ck on her?
GROVES: Yeah
LAUGHTON: It’s just a bummer she wont let me put my -ick inside of her
GROVES: She’s not even 3 yet
LAUGHTON: Yeah, I know
