Former New Hampshire lawmaker sentenced to 33 years for child sexual exploitation

A transgender former New Hampshire state representative was sentenced to more than 33 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of children. Stacie Marie Laughton, 41, of Nashua, admitted to receiving nude photos of children from a former intimate partner who worked at a Massachusetts daycare.

The sentence was handed down in federal court, according to a report from local outlet WCVB.

Background of the case Lindsay Groves, 40, of Hudson, New Hampshire, was sentenced earlier this month to 22 years in prison after pleading guilty to three counts of sexual exploitation of children and one count of distribution of child pornography. Groves was employed at Creative Minds daycare in Tyngsborough, Massachusetts.

Authorities said Groves took multiple photos of prepubescent children in a private bathroom during diaper changes between May 2022 and June 2023. Groves then sent the photos to Laughton via text message.

Investigation details A forensic review of the defendants' cellphones uncovered more than 10,000 text messages exchanged over a one-month period in 2023. Court documents showed the messages included discussions about and transfers of explicit images of children as young as 3 to 5 years old.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts confirmed that all children in the case were identified and their families were contacted by law enforcement. Hillsborough County jail officials confirmed that Laughton has been housed in the male population.