(The Lion) — A former New Hampshire state representative who identifies as transgender has pleaded guilty to federal child sex crimes.

Barry “Stacie” Laughton, a Democrat and a male, entered the plea last week in U.S. District Court in Boston. He admitted to charges of sexual exploitation of children after receiving explicit photos of preschoolers from his then-girlfriend, Lindsay Groves.

Federal investigators said Groves took the photos while working at a daycare in Tyngsborough, Massachusetts, and sent them to Laughton. The images depicted children between 3 and 5 years old.

Laughton asked Groves to send the images, and the two exchanged thousands of messages about them, LifeSiteNews reports.

Groves had pleaded guilty Oct. 14 to three counts of sexual exploitation of children and one count of distribution of child pornography, and was set to testify at Laughton’s trial had there been one.

Both face up to 30 years in prison and are scheduled for sentencing in February.

Repeated scandals marked Laughton’s political career.

When he was elected in 2012, Democrats and the media celebrated him as the first openly transgender-identifying person to win a state legislative seat in the United States. But he resigned soon after taking office when the media reported his prior felony conviction for credit card fraud.

Laughton returned to office in 2020 but stepped down again two years later after being arrested for stalking. His record also includes a 2015 bomb threat charge.

The case has drawn outrage from parents and community members. When Groves appeared in court earlier this year, one mother shouted in tears, demanding justice for the victims.

Despite the nature of the crimes – and his obviously male appearance – several legacy media outlets and officials continue to refer to Laughton as a woman. Such treatment has raised questions about how liberal institutions handle criminal cases involving individuals who reject their biological sex.

Laughton’s plea adds to growing scrutiny over how political and legal systems respond to offenders who identify as transgender. Critics say classifying biological males as female inmates or officials undermines truth and safety.

In this case, prosecutors described Laughton’s conduct as exploitation of the most vulnerable. The court confirmed he had requested and discussed the images of children in messages with Groves for more than a year.

Laughton and Groves were arrested in 2023 after investigators uncovered the explicit communications.