Murdaugh accomplice Cory Fleming pleads guilty to all state crimes, sentencing deferred

KINGSTREE, SC - After pleading guilty in federal court recently, Alex Murdaugh accomplice Cory Howerton Fleming pleaded guilty to all S.C. State Grand Jury charges Wednesday, August 23, but has not received a state sentence.

Fleming, a former Beaufort County attorney and Murdaugh's college roommate, entered a guilty plea to all 23 criminal charges contained in two state grand jury indictments before Judge Clifton Newman during a noon hearing in Newman's home courthouse, Williamsburg County.

The state charges are venued in Hampton and Beaufort counties and stem from Fleming's role in aiding and conspiring with confessed fraudster Murdaugh to steal from the Satterfield and Pinckney estates.

Fleming previously signed a plea agreement with federal prosecutors over the same crimes in federal criminal court, and on Aug. 15 was sentenced to 46 months in federal detainment, followed by three years court-ordered supervision and probation, $102,221.90 restitution and a $20,000 fine.

In accepting a federal plea agreement, Fleming received less prison time that another Murdaugh accomplice, former banker Russell Laffitte, who pleaded not guilty but was convicted during a federal trial in November 2022 and received seven years in federal prison.

As part of his plea deal, Fleming's federal sentence would be served concurrently with any state sentence.

However, despite this federal deal state prosecutors don't appear to be asking the court for a reduced state sentence, based on Wednesday's hearing. State prosecutors could seek a state prison sentence much longer than the federal sentence.

Creighton Waters, the lead prosecutor over all of the state's Murdaugh cases, addressed the court at length with details of Fleming's charges and how much money was stolen, and indicated that neither the S.C. Attorney General's Office nor the S.C. Law Enforcement Division feel that Fleming fully cooperated with the state investigation.

If Fleming had not been indicted and forced to face the charges, said Waters, he would still be on his boat in Beaufort County enjoying his ill-gotten lifestyle. Waters added that during the state's investigation they uncovered more crimes allegedly committed by Fleming for more money, and that he was more than Murdaugh's unwitting accomplice - he knew what he was doing and had done it before.

Fleming appeared in court in stripped prison garb with his attorney, Deborah Barbier. He addressed the court briefly, and both he and his lawyer stated while they agreed the facts of the case were sufficient and accurate enough to make him guilty, they did plan to dispute some of Waters' statements during a later sentencing hearing.

Judge Newman, who is presiding over all of the Murdaugh cases in state courts, accepted the guilty plea but deferred the sentencing phase until Sept. 14, when the sentencing can be held in Beaufort County.

No one spoke on Fleming's behalf during Wednesday's hearing, but that will likely happen during sentencing in his home county. Fleming's family members were reportedly in the court room, however, as were attorneys for the Satterfield and Pinckney estates.

Fleming's attorney Barbier declined to comment on the case until after the sentencing.

Fleming, who was being housed under federal custody in Charleston County, was transported to Beaufort County to be detained until the sentencing. After that, he will be remanded to federal prison FCI-Jesup in Georgia to begin serving his concurrent sentences.

Convicted former banker Russell Laffitte appears in court

Another Murdaugh accomplice, convicted former banker Russell Laffitte, was also in court before Newman - but not to enter a plea.

While Laffitte has been convicted and sentenced in federal court, and was scheduled to report to FCI - Jesup on Sept. 14, his attorneys have filed an appeal of his seven-year sentence, and have asked the courts to allow Laffitte to remain out on bond while that appeal is being considered.

That motion was approved, and Laffitte was granted a one-week extension and is now scheduled to report to federal prison on Sept. 21, pending the appeal.

Laffitte's attorneys said they did not wish to enter any pleas or proceed to trial for their client's state charges until the federal appeal has been resolved.

Newman scheduled a follow-up status conference for both Laffitte and Alex Murdaugh, on his state crimes, during the Sept. 14 sentencing date set for Fleming.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Murdaugh accomplice Cory Fleming pleads guilty to all state crimes