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The woman who allegedly sent thousands of child sex abuse photos to her lover, former Democratic State Rep. Stacie Marie Laughton, is set to change her plea in federal court.

Lindsay Groves, 40, is accused of exploiting children at the Tyngsborough, Mass., daycare where she worked for Laughton’s sick gratification. She is scheduled for a change of plea hearing on Oct. 14 in the United States District Court in Boston.

Groves and Laughton, 41, are currently on track for separate November trials. Both Groves and Laughton are indicted on three counts each of sexual exploitation of children. Groves is also charged with one count of distribution of child pornography. 

Former state Rep. Stacie-Marie Laughton (D-Nashua)

Groves’ plea hearing comes after Judge Dennis Saylor ruled in August that the Hudson woman is competent to stand trial on the charges. Her defense lawyers tied up the case for more than a year, trying to prove Groves is not mentally competent to face justice.

Dr. Tina Adams, an independent clinical and forensic psychologist hired by the defense, found Groves is severely limited intellectually, easily manipulated, and unable to understand the charges against her. But Dr. Lauren Schumacher, a forensic psychologist employed by the Bureau of Prisons, reported that despite her limitations, Groves obtained an associate’s degree in early-childhood education from New Hampshire Community College, held down steady jobs, and was able to understand how the court system works. 

After Saylor reviewed the reports from Adams and Schumacher, he ruled that Groves could indeed go on trial.

“In short, (Groves) has repeatedly shown that despite her many limitations, she is capable of ordered thinking and rational communication, and that she has the ability to navigate reasonably complex situations,” Saylor wrote in his August order.

Groves apparently also understands the criminal justice system well enough to know when it’s time to roll on her former lover. If Groves enters into a plea agreement on Oct. 14, as seems likely, she would be required to testify against Laughton.

Laughton and Groves have a long-standing, volatile, and odd relationship. In 2022, Laughton was charged with harassing Groves and her family, costing Laughton a seat in the state legislature.

Laughton has been in and out of jail since at least 2008 after being convicted of credit card fraud. Four years later, Laughton was charged with a crime after calling in a bogus bomb threat at the Southern New Hampshire Medical Center in Nashua. Those charges were later dropped as Laughton claimed to be suffering from a mental health crisis.

On Organization Day in 2022, Laughton was unable to participate due to being incarcerated at the time. Only after Democrats realized Laughton would not help them close the narrow GOP majority did the House Democratic Caucus finally force a resignation.

It came out in the stalking case that Laughton had called police to report Groves was abusing children at the daycare, though that was believed to have been part of the ongoing harassment at that time.

Laughton is alleged to have repeatedly tried to get Groves fired from her job at the daycare, claiming Groves was a pedophile. Laughton reported Groves to police, as well as making the accusation on social media and on Laughton’s radio program, according to court records.

However, according to the federal case, Laughton and Groves were simpatico after the stalking case was resolved without a jail sentence. Groves started sending the sick photos to Laughton, and the two had disturbing conversations via text about the images and their own sexual desires. 

Laughton and Grove discussed raping the children at the daycare facility. In one chilling exchange, they discussed how to get away with the horrific crime. Laughton maintained there was nothing wrong with sexually abusing children.

“Oh, I know, but I just don’t wanna get in trouble. I mean, I want to do what we want to do because we like it and we approve of it, but others think this is wrong. Lots of parents don’t like people touching their kids, and it is against the law …” Laughton wrote in one exchange.

In another message, Laughton appears to admit to raping a child with Groves.

“I was asking because I know we’ve had some back-and-forth, and I know we initially said we do nothing with kids ever again, and you said you were afraid that if we had kids if they would go back and tell the parents the same with the kids you work with,” Laughton texted to Groves.

Born Barry Laughton, the Democrat’s gender identity as a transgender woman has never been straightforward. It was unclear how far Laughton’s medical transition had progressed, if at all. Laughton appears to be balding with many masculine features, though the convicted felon wears makeup and clothing traditionally identified with women. 

Laughton was married for many years to Lisa Laughton, the alleged co-conspirator in the 2008 fraud case that resulted in the felony conviction that temporarily derailed Laughton’s political career. Laughton has also conducted a long-term sexual relationship with Groves. Both Groves and Lisa Laughton are biological women. 

Both Laughton and Groves have been held since their arrests in 2023. Initially, they were kept at the Valley Street jail in Manchester, but have since been transferred into pre-trial federal custody. Federal officials decline to disclose their current location.