BOSTON — Stacie-Marie Laughton, the former New Hampshire state representative once hailed as the first openly transgender person elected to a U.S. state legislature, has pleaded guilty to federal charges of child sexual exploitation involving children as young as 3 years old. She faces up to 30 years in prison.
Federal prosecutors say Laughton conspired with her former partner, Lindsay Groves, a day care employee in Tyngsborough, Massachusetts, to produce and exchange sexually explicit images of children in Groves’ care.
According to the indictment, Groves photographed children between ages 3 and 5 and sent the images to Laughton. Investigators found thousands of text messages between the two, including exchanges in which Laughton encouraged and directed the abuse.
In one message, Laughton reportedly asked Groves, “Do you think we still have a place in heaven? … Do you think God would still be OK with me being a minister?”
As the New York Post reports:
In another text on June 14, 2023, Laughton talked about wanting to become a church minister and asked Groves if he will still go to heaven despite his crimes.
“Do you think God is OK with us being bad girls?” he said, according to the criminal complaint, adding, “Do you think we still have a place in heaven? Do you think God would still be OK with me being a minister?”
Groves texted back, “Yes god is ok with it and we will still go to heaven and he thinks you be [sic] a great minister.”
The pair’s crimes were uncovered in June 2023 after Laughton sent the images to a third person.
Laughton previously served in the New Hampshire House of Representatives from December 2020 until her resignation in late 2022 following unrelated legal issues. The election was widely celebrated as a milestone for transgender representation in state politics.
The case has drawn national attention due to Laughton’s political prominence and the horrific nature of the charges. Legal experts say it may prompt renewed scrutiny of how candidates with prior criminal records are vetted before seeking public office.
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God is not OK with him being a “girl”, bad or otherwise.
Stop referring to HIM as a female!!! He’s a MALE!!!! Just stop it!!!