BOSTON — A New Hampshire woman connected to a child pornography investigation at a Tyngsborough day care center may be released from federal custody, a magistrate judge ruled.
Lindsay Groves, 38, of Hudson and Stacie Marie Laughton, 39, of Derry were indicted on federal charges for sexual exploitation of children and aiding and abetting sexually explicit images of children in July.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Donald Cabell said the court will allow Groves’ motion for pretrial release.
The release decision was appealed by Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy. Groves opposed the motion. A hearing will take place Friday. Groves will be held pending the decision by a district court judge.
Groves was employed at Creative Minds day care center where she took sexually explicit photos of children inside a private bathroom, according to charging documents. She told Nashua Police she then sent the images to Laughton for Laughton’s sexual gratification.
The photos were taken from June 2022 to June 2023. A forensics review found over 2,500 text messages on Grove’s cellphone exchanged between the two women detailing graphic acts with minors along with the photos.
Laughton and Groves were previously in a relationship, according to statements from both women in court documents.
Groves’ release will come dependent on certain conditions.
Groves would live with her parents and cannot have anyone under 18 years old visit the residence.
She will also not have access to her seized iPhone. Any other devices capable of accessing the internet in her parent’s home must be protected by passwords and removed from the home when her parents are not there.
These actions will incapacitate her from sending any text messages of minors engaging in sexual conduct to Laughton or any one else, the court order stated.
Groves cannot visit Creative Minds day care or contact its staff or clients.
The judge determined the conditions would keep the public safe.
Laughton remains in custody. She voluntarily consented to detention, according to court documents.
Laughton is a former New Hampshire state representative for Nashua.
She plead not guilty the threes charges in her indictment. In July, Laughton requested a copy of Groves’ detention hearing transcript “to adequately prepare her case moving forward,” according to court documents.
Her initial status conference is set for Sept. 14.