Former State Rep. Stacie Marie Laughton, 41, of Nashua (right), and Lindsay Groves, 40, of Hudson, recently pled guilty to numerous charges of sexually exploiting children. Courtesy photo/Nashua Police Department
NASHUA – Former State Rep. Stacie Marie Laughton, 41, of Nashua, and Lindsay Groves, 40, of Hudson, recently pled guilty to numerous charges of sexually exploiting children.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, between May 2022 and June 2023, Groves, who worked at Creative Minds Early Learning Center in Tyngsborough, Mass., took nude pictures of children and sent them to Laughton. The pictures were taken during bathroom breaks and diaper changes.
While conducting a forensic review of Groves’ and Laughton’s cell phones, investigators found more than 10,000 text messages that had been sent between the two during a one-month period in 2023. In the text messages, Groves and Laughton discussed the graphic pictures of children at Creative Minds. Investigators also found at least four “sexually explicit images” of children who appeared to be 3 to 5 years old. In one of the text messages, Laughton described having oral sex with a girl to which Groves replied: “She’s not even 3 yet.”
Laughton pled guilty to three counts of sexual exploitation of children while Groves pled guilty to three counts of sexual exploitation of children and distribution of child pornography.
Under state law, Laughton faces up to 90 years in prison, supervised release for up to the rest of her life and up to $750,000 in fines. Groves faces up to 110 years in prison, supervised release for up to the rest of her life and up to $1 million in fines.
Groves is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 4, 2026 and Laughton is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 12, 2026.
