Former New Hampshire state representative Stacie‑Marie Laughton, who was previously celebrated as the first openly transgender person elected to a U.S. state legislature, has pleaded guilty in federal court to child sexual exploitation charges involving children as young as three years old.
According to the plea, Laughton admitted that she received explicit images of children aged between three and five, which had been taken by her former partner, Lindsay Groves, a daycare worker in Massachusetts. These images were allegedly taken during bathroom breaks inside the daycare.
Federal prosecutors said Laughton and Groves sent thousands of text messages with discussions about the images, the transfer of them, and facilitated access to children for exploitative purposes. Both defendants face sentencing in February, with potential prison terms ranging from 15 to 30 years, plus lifetime supervised release and fines up to $250,000.
Laughton’s political history adds a dramatic dimension to the case. Initially elected in 2012, she resigned before taking office after earlier felony convictions became public. She later served from 2020 to 2022 before resigning again amid legal troubles.
The developments have sparked strong reactions from the public, victims’ advocates and political observers, with many calling for stricter oversight of daycare facilities and accountability in cases involving public officials.
