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A transgender former New Hampshire state representative will spend more than three decades in federal prison after admitting to receiving nude photos of children at a Massachusetts daycare.
Stacie Marie Laughton, 41, of Nashua was sentenced to more than 33 years behind bars after pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of children, according to a report from local outlet WCVB.
Laughton received the explicit images from his former intimate partner, Lindsay Groves, 40, of Hudson, New Hampshire, who was sentenced earlier this month to 22 years in prison, according to the report.
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Former transgender Democrat New Hampshire Rep. Stacie Marie Laughton pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of children, according to the Nashua Police Department. (Nashua Police Department)
Groves, who previously pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual exploitation of children and one count of distribution of child pornography, was employed at the Creative Minds daycare in neighboring Tyngsborough, Massachusetts, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts.
Authorities said that between May 2022 and June 2023, Groves took multiple photos of prepubescent children in a private bathroom during routine diaper and pull-up changes prior to nap time.
Stacie Marie Laughton was sentenced to 33 years in prison. (Citizens Count)
Groves then sent the photos to Laughton via text message, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
A forensic review of Laughton and Groves’ cellphones uncovered more than 10,000 text messages sent between the two over a one-month period in 2023.
Court documents revealed the messages included discussions about and transfers of explicit images of children, including victims as young as 3 to 5 years old.
Lindsay Groves used her position at a daycare to take illegal photos that were later shared with Laughton, authorities said. (Nashua Police Department)
The U.S. Attorney's Office confirmed all the children in the case were identified, and their families were contacted by law enforcement.
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Hillsborough County jail officials confirmed to NH Journal that Laughton has been housed in the male population.
Creative Minds Early Learning Center and the U.S. Attorney's Office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment.
Alexandra Koch is a Fox News Digital journalist who covers breaking news, with a focus on high-impact events that shape national conversation.
She has covered major national crises, including the L.A. wildfires, Potomac and Hudson River aviation disasters, Boulder terror attack, and Texas Hill Country floods.
