The former New Hampshire state representative Stacie Marie Laughton, who identifies as a transgender woman, has been federally charged in connection with the Tyngsboro daycare child pornography case.
Laughton, 39, of Nashua, N.H., was referred to as “PERSON 1” in the federal criminal complaint against Lindsay Groves, 38, of Hudson, N.H., who was charged last month with taking pornographic images of children at the Creative Minds daycare in Tyngsboro, where she worked.
“I want to do this with you with one of my kids,” Groves allegedly texted her former romantic partner — who has now been identified as Laughton following Tuesday’s federal complaint filing — the afternoon of June 14 alongside a picture of a prepubescent boy with a focus on his genitals. “I took that picture a couple minutes ago.”
Laughton allegedly responded to that text with “I also need to be honest I mean yes that picture was hot of that little boy but you probably have gotten the picture by now that I prefer little girls (sic), but he is cute,” and allegedly requested that Groves to touch the little boy inappropriately.
Laughton was charged Tuesday with one count of sexual exploitation of children – and aiding and abetting.
All told, the feds claim the pair exchanged a total of 10,000 text messages during the time period where the illicit images were purportedly exchanged, which is a major increase to the estimate from when Groves was arrested and charged by criminal complaint on June 22. The feds say the messages included at least four sexually explicit images of children appearing to be between 3 and 5 years old, and lots of sex chatter about hooking up with each other and others, including children.
Groves remains in custody on state charges in New Hampshire. A court date has not yet been set for Laughton.
The charge of sexual exploitation of children provides for a sentence of at least 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
This is a developing story.
