Stacie-Marie Laughton, a former Democratic New Hampshire state representative who identifies as transgender, was arrested on Thursday for allegedly distributing sexually explicit images of children. Laughton, a biological male who identifies as female, was elected to the New Hampshire legislature in 2012 but was unable to serve due to being on probation for a felony conviction of credit card fraud. Laughton has faced several charges in subsequent years, including making a bomb threat and misusing the state’s 911 texting system.
Despite their criminal past, Laughton was elected for a second term in the 2022 elections to represent Nashua, New Hampshire. However, he was never seated after being jailed again for multiple stalking-related charges. On Thursday, Laughton was charged with four counts of allegedly distributing images depicting child sexual abuse. The Nashua Police Department conducted an investigation into the matter after receiving reports of the distribution of explicit images of children.
Laughton’s criminal history extends back to 2002, with prior arrests for domestic violence and sexual assault. In previous instances, Laughton attributed his actions to mental illness, stating that untreated mental health issues and lack of medication contributed to his behavior.
Laughton is scheduled to be arraigned in Hillsborough County Superior Court-South on Friday.