A trans-identified male politician credited with being the first openly transgender representative elected in the United States has been arrested on charges involving the distribution of child sexual abuse materials.
Stacie Laughton, born Barry Charles Laughton Jr., was a Democratic representative for the New Hampshire House, winning his last election in November of 2022. But Laughton resigned less than one month after winning the election following scrutiny for being charged with the violation of a stalking order that had been placed against him by a woman in his community. Laughton violated the order just one month before he was elected.
While Laughton is still facing his stalking charges, he was arrested again this past Tuesday. This time, on charges involving the distribution of child sexual abuse materials.
Sergeant John Cinelli, public information officer for the Nashua Police Department, revealed that officers had interviewed reporting parties before detectives from special investigations took over. The investigators subsequently applied for a warrant for Laughton’s arrest.
The 38-year-old is facing four counts of the distribution of sexually explicit images of children.
As previously reported by Reduxx, Laughton has a lengthy criminal history. In addition to his stalking charges, he is also on bail for a 2021 arrest in which he was accused of the egregious misuse of the Nashua 911 emergency system.
Between May and July 2021, he sent seven texts to Nashua 911, prompting police officers to respond to his address. On each occasion, they determined there was no emergency. At the time, Laughton denied sending the texts and claimed that he was being “spoofed” by an unknown perpetrator.
He also complained that media coverage of the arrest was making him look bad.
Laughton was first elected to the New Hampshire legislature in 2012 and became the first openly transgender individual to hold public office in the United States. He withdrew before taking the role when it was revealed that he had served four months in prison in 2008 on a felony conviction for identity and credit card fraud and falsifying physical evidence.
A special election was scheduled a few weeks later, and Laughton signed up to run again. But officials barred him from holding public office as, according to state law, he had not completed his sentence.
After the sentence related to the 2008 conviction was exhausted, Laughton was allowed to run for office again in 2019. He was elected selectman in 2011, 2019, and 2021. He was also elected state representative in 2020.
Laughton has been held in preventive detention and is scheduled to appear at Hillsborough County Superior Court-South today for arraignment.
Earlier this year, Laughton became an ordained Minister and delivered his first sermon on YouTube.
According to GetOrdained, Laughton was affiliated with Buddhism, Methodism, New Age, Oneness Pentecostalism, Pentecostalism, Protestantism, Rastafarianism, Spiritualism, Tibetan Buddhism, Unitarian Universalism, and the Universal Life Church.
In his biography, Laughton writes: “I’m caring and compassionate and I believe all people have inherent worth and dignity along with the fact that I pride myself on being a member of the LGBT community and I believe all love is valuable and all people deserve a minister who cares about them deeply and doesn’t judge who they are or their backgrounds.”
Laughton stated he charged $50 for various services including marriages and baptisms.
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