Former NH State Representative Sentenced for Child Exploitation

A former New Hampshire state representative has been sentenced to over 33 years in federal prison. Stacie Marie Laughton, 41, from Nashua admitted to receiving explicit images of children from a Massachusetts daycare. According to WCVB, Laughton pled guilty to the sexual exploitation of children.

Lindsay Groves, 40, from Hudson, New Hampshire, who was a former intimate partner of Laughton, was sentenced earlier to 22 years in prison. She previously admitted to three charges of sexual exploitation of children and distribution of child pornography, as per the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.

Between May 2022 and June 2023, Groves worked at Creative Minds daycare in Tyngsborough, Massachusetts. She took photos of children in a bathroom during diaper changes and nap time. The U.S. Attorney’s Office reported she sent these images to Laughton via text messages.

More than 10,000 text exchanges between Laughton and Groves were reviewed forensically, revealing discussions and sharing of the explicit images. These included images of children as young as 3 to 5 years old. Authorities confirmed that the children involved have been identified, and their families have been informed.

Laughton, who was a transgender former state representative and a Democrat, received a sentence following his plea. Groves used her daycare position to exploit children by taking unauthorized photos, which were then forwarded to Laughton, according to authorities.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office has confirmed that all affected children have been identified, with their families contacted by law enforcement. Jail officials have stated that Laughton is held in the male population at Hillsborough County jail.

Creative Minds Early Learning Center and the U.S. Attorney’s Office have not commented immediately.

Alexandra Koch is a journalist for Fox News Digital, covering breaking news with a focus on significant national events. She has reported on key national crises, including L.A. wildfires and Potomac and Hudson River aviation incidents.