New Hampshire’s first elected trans representative, Stacie Laughton, was arrested on child porn charges on Thursday, according to multiple reports.
Nashua police responded to a ‘local facility’ regarding a juvenile matter and spoke to several individuals who indicated Laughton distributed pornographic images of children.
Nashua police said Laughton’s case is connected to Lindsay Groves, a New Hampshire woman also arrested Thursday for allegedly taking explicit photos of children at the Tyngsborough daycare where she worked.
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Lindsay Groves, 38, of Hudson, N.H., was charged with one count of sexual exploitation of children and one count of distribution of child pornography. Groves, who is currently in custody, will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to court documents, Groves worked at Creative Minds in Tyngsborough, Mass.
It is alleged that, between May 2022 and June 2023, Groves took nude images of children at the daycare and sent the photos to an individual with whom she was previously in an intimate relationship.
Specifically, Groves allegedly used natural bathroom breaks for the children (routine diaper/pull-up changes prior to “naptime”) to take multiple photos of the prepubescent children in a private bathroom and then sent the photos to the individual via text message.
A preliminary forensic review of Grove’s cellphone allegedly revealed over 2,500 text messages between Groves and the individual.
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These messages allegedly included discussion about, and transfer of, explicit photographs that Groves had taken of children while employed at Creative Minds – including at least four sexually explicit images of children who appear to be approximately three to five years old. This investigation is continuing.
Stacie Laughton’s past
Laughton was elected in 2012 but resigned before taking office because Laughton’s criminal record was revealed.
Laughton’s criminal history was unknown during the election because the criminal charges were under Laughton’s legal name before Laughton transitioned, according to Patch.
In 2008 Laughton spent four and a half months in jail for conspiracy to commit credit card fraud; Laughton was also accused of tire slashing and faking an illness to get a ride from an ambulance.
Laughton has since built up an extensive criminal history.
In 2015 Laughton was arrested on a felony charge on the accusation of making a bomb threat against the Southern New Hampshire Medical Center, which Laughton attributed to a mental health problem.
Laughton was allowed to run for office again in 2019 after paying restitution on the 2008 fraud charge.
Laughton was arrested in 2021 on seven counts of penalty for false information and was accused of misusing the state’s 911 texting system, Patch reported.
Laughton was reelected in November 2022 but resigned after being arrested on suspicion of stalking a woman, according to Patch.
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