WEBVTT - Guilty | BONUS 0:00:02.380 --> 0:00:06.220 On Friday, August 28th, Laura Owens appeared at the Maricopa 0:00:06.260 --> 0:00:10.150 County Superior Courthouse for a settlement conference in her criminal case. 0:00:11.150 --> 0:00:15.030 The question was, would she plead guilty or would her 0:00:15.070 --> 0:00:15.950 case go to trial? 0:00:16.850 --> 0:00:18.470 Finally, we got an answer. 0:00:19.329 --> 0:00:21.930 How do you plead to count one fraudulent schemes and arvises, 0:00:21.970 --> 0:00:26.200 a class two non-dangerous felony committed on or about May 17th, 0:00:26.200 --> 0:00:28.440 2023 through and including June 10th of 2024? Guilty or 0:00:28.460 --> 0:00:29.420 not guilty? Guilty. 0:00:29.460 --> 0:00:29.760 Guilty. 0:00:31.610 --> 0:00:35.709 Laura pled guilty to four felony counts. Two Class 2 0:00:35.710 --> 0:00:39.950 felonies of fraudulent schemes and artifices, one Class 4 felony 0:00:39.970 --> 0:00:43.470 of perjury, and one Class 4 felony of taking the 0:00:43.550 --> 0:00:44.610 identity of another. 0:00:45.150 --> 0:00:46.770 And how do you plead to Count 10, taking the 0:00:46.790 --> 0:00:49.690 identity of another? Guilty or not guilty? Guilty. 0:00:51.390 --> 0:00:55.090 After months of uncertainty and delays, the most surprising thing 0:00:55.130 --> 0:00:59.030 we could have heard was Laura admitting guilt, not once, 0:00:59.670 --> 0:01:00.510 but four times. 0:01:01.140 --> 0:01:03.100 Is everything that was said on the record true and correct? 0:01:03.600 --> 0:01:04.140 Yes, Your Honor. 0:01:04.450 --> 0:01:06.970 Court finds defense plea is knowingly, intelligently, and voluntarily made. 0:01:06.990 --> 0:01:09.790 There's a factual basis for each count in the plea. 0:01:09.910 --> 0:01:12.449 The plea is accepted and entered of record. 0:01:15.340 --> 0:01:18.900 I'm Stephanie Young, and this is a special bonus episode 0:01:19.160 --> 0:01:19.819 of Love Trapped. 0:01:20.440 --> 0:01:23.140 There's no way out. 0:01:23.890 --> 0:01:26.929 You'd better believe. 0:01:28.030 --> 0:01:35.010 I'll be raising holy hell, my love, if you ever, ever, ever, 0:01:35.430 --> 0:01:42.770 ever try to leave. 0:01:46.790 --> 0:01:48.850 I'm going to walk you through what went down in 0:01:48.950 --> 0:01:52.770 Arizona on Friday, August 28th. I was there in person 0:01:52.810 --> 0:01:55.680 for the whole thing. So let's start at the beginning. 0:01:57.120 --> 0:02:00.920 Before the hearing started, I ran into Clayton, Greg Woodnick, 0:02:01.380 --> 0:02:04.840 and Reality Steve outside the courthouse. None of us had 0:02:04.960 --> 0:02:07.170 any idea if Laura was going to take the plea 0:02:07.190 --> 0:02:11.550 deal or not. Clayton hadn't been given advance notice. Like 0:02:11.570 --> 0:02:14.700 we said in the last episode, Clayton believed she'd take 0:02:14.740 --> 0:02:17.400 this to the bitter end and bring this case to trial. 0:02:18.260 --> 0:02:20.780 The courtroom doors opened early, so I made my way 0:02:20.840 --> 0:02:21.820 inside to find a seat. 0:02:22.639 --> 0:02:23.260 Here's Woodnick. 0:02:24.460 --> 0:02:27.910 The hearing was scheduled to start at 2.30, and we 0:02:27.970 --> 0:02:31.230 went a little bit early, anticipating that the county attorney 0:02:31.290 --> 0:02:33.310 was going to want to talk to Clayton about the 0:02:33.350 --> 0:02:36.030 status of things. And there was a short meeting with 0:02:36.050 --> 0:02:41.120 the county attorney privately before the hearings. After we met 0:02:41.220 --> 0:02:44.340 with the county attorney and the investigator, Clayton and I 0:02:44.400 --> 0:02:47.519 walked into the courtroom anticipating that the hearing was gonna 0:02:47.560 --> 0:02:51.250 start at 2.30. It was delayed, not super uncommon, but 0:02:51.280 --> 0:02:53.470 this court runs on time. So I was wondering what 0:02:53.510 --> 0:02:55.290 was going on. And it dawned on me at that 0:02:55.350 --> 0:02:59.210 point that I hadn't seen Laura. Usually at these hearings, 0:02:59.230 --> 0:03:01.590 we bump into Laura and her mother or father in 0:03:01.610 --> 0:03:04.570 the hallway. That's always awkward in any case, not just 0:03:04.610 --> 0:03:07.530 this one. But I hadn't seen them. So we were 0:03:07.570 --> 0:03:08.510 wondering where she was. 0:03:10.130 --> 0:03:13.019 I took a seat in the fourth row, directly behind Clayton. 0:03:14.280 --> 0:03:18.000 There was a strict no-cellphone policy inside the courtroom. That 0:03:18.040 --> 0:03:21.260 means all the interview tape you're hearing happened after the fact. 0:03:22.490 --> 0:03:26.250 The hearing was supposed to begin at 2.30, but 2.30 0:03:26.250 --> 0:03:30.430 came and went. Laura wasn't in the room yet. Everyone 0:03:30.450 --> 0:03:34.240 began looking around anxiously. We were all wondering what was 0:03:34.280 --> 0:03:37.700 going on and if the hearing would start. The prosecutor 0:03:37.720 --> 0:03:40.340 kept coming in and out of the courtroom and having 0:03:40.400 --> 0:03:43.340 quiet conversations with Woodnick and Clayton in the front row. 0:03:44.340 --> 0:03:47.130 I was sitting next to Reality Steve, and he overheard 0:03:47.190 --> 0:03:48.030 some of what was said. 0:03:49.190 --> 0:03:52.550 I started hearing some things and rumblings that a plea 0:03:52.590 --> 0:03:56.550 deal was probably going to happen, but Laura was waffling. 0:03:56.570 --> 0:04:03.110 She was sick, throwing up. We were hearing terms like that. 0:04:03.130 --> 0:04:07.010 I couldn't see Woodnick or Clayton's faces. but I knew 0:04:07.090 --> 0:04:08.630 something big was about to happen. 0:04:09.820 --> 0:04:13.440 The county attorney let us know that Laura had signed 0:04:14.280 --> 0:04:16.820 the plea agreement, which is great, and it was a 0:04:16.940 --> 0:04:20.760 huge sigh of relief, Stephanie, because this was a big deal. 0:04:20.820 --> 0:04:24.039 She'd acknowledged in writing that she had committed these crimes. 0:04:24.880 --> 0:04:27.740 But a signed plea agreement doesn't do any good unless 0:04:27.779 --> 0:04:30.340 it's put on the record in the courtroom. And there 0:04:30.360 --> 0:04:33.800 was a comment made that she was having challenges or 0:04:33.839 --> 0:04:37.360 struggling to come into the courtroom and address what she 0:04:37.380 --> 0:04:39.500 had signed apparently on the record with the judge. 0:04:40.960 --> 0:04:45.040 I overheard a snippet of this conversation. The prosecutor saying 0:04:45.160 --> 0:04:47.870 Laura was about to sign the plea deal. But I 0:04:47.990 --> 0:04:51.230 still didn't believe that it was about to happen. Laura 0:04:51.270 --> 0:04:54.470 hadn't come into the courtroom yet, and the tensions were rising. 0:04:55.410 --> 0:04:58.630 So we waited some more, and eventually, it felt like 0:04:58.650 --> 0:05:01.570 maybe 15 minutes later, she came in very quickly and 0:05:01.610 --> 0:05:04.800 had a seat at the table with her attorney, Christian Luters, 0:05:05.270 --> 0:05:07.589 And within a few seconds, the judge came in and 0:05:07.610 --> 0:05:08.270 the hearing began. 0:05:11.029 --> 0:05:17.510 This is CR 2025-007-905, State v. Laura Owens. Time set 0:05:17.560 --> 0:05:20.160 for a settlement conference. Can I get appearances, please? Good afternoon, 0:05:20.180 --> 0:05:22.900 Your Honor. Ed Leier on behalf of State. Good afternoon, Judge. 0:05:22.920 --> 0:05:25.400 Chris Reuters on behalf of Laura Owens, who's present with 0:05:25.420 --> 0:05:26.140 me at the defense table. 0:05:27.480 --> 0:05:30.820 So, Ms. Owens, I've been handed a plea agreement that 0:05:30.860 --> 0:05:33.400 indicates you want to resolve your case by pleading guilty 0:05:33.460 --> 0:05:36.980 to count one, Fraudulent schemes and artifices, a Class 2 0:05:36.980 --> 0:05:41.060 non-dangerous felony. Count six, perjury, a Class 4 non-dangerous felony. 0:05:41.880 --> 0:05:45.280 Count nine, fraudulent schemes and artifices, a Class 2 non-dangerous felony. 0:05:45.839 --> 0:05:48.060 And then count ten, taking the identity of another, a 0:05:48.260 --> 0:05:50.940 Class 4 felony, non-dangerous. Is that what you want to 0:05:50.960 --> 0:05:51.180 do today? 0:05:51.200 --> 0:05:52.140 Yes, Your Honor. 0:05:52.400 --> 0:05:53.620 So I'm just going to ask you some questions to 0:05:53.640 --> 0:05:55.510 make sure I understand what you're doing. Have you taken 0:05:55.570 --> 0:05:57.670 any drugs, alcohol, or medication the last 24 hours? No, 0:05:57.670 --> 0:06:00.210 Your Honor. What's the last grade in school that you 0:06:00.250 --> 0:06:01.549 have finished or completed? 0:06:02.720 --> 0:06:04.860 I have my bachelor's in college. 0:06:05.020 --> 0:06:06.870 Okay, so you read and understand English, correct? 0:06:06.880 --> 0:06:06.990 Yes. 0:06:07.690 --> 0:06:09.390 Has anybody forced you or threatened you in any way 0:06:09.410 --> 0:06:10.270 to make you plead guilty? 0:06:10.610 --> 0:06:10.790 No. 0:06:11.070 --> 0:06:13.610 Has anybody promised you anything regarding your sentence that's not 0:06:13.650 --> 0:06:15.310 written in your plea agreement to get you to plead guilty? 0:06:15.550 --> 0:06:15.750 No. 0:06:16.910 --> 0:06:20.349 Because Laura is pleading guilty to felonies, it will impact 0:06:20.390 --> 0:06:23.770 her civil rights. She won't be able to vote, serve 0:06:23.890 --> 0:06:27.680 as a juror, hold public office, or possess a firearm. 0:06:28.480 --> 0:06:30.800 The judge then moved on to discuss her plea agreement 0:06:30.839 --> 0:06:31.340 with the state. 0:06:32.750 --> 0:06:34.770 Okay, so let's talk about your agreements with the state. 0:06:35.450 --> 0:06:37.770 As to count one, which is a class two felony, 0:06:37.810 --> 0:06:41.040 there are no agreements as to sentencing. If you are 0:06:41.100 --> 0:06:44.100 placed on probation, it will be supervised probation. As to 0:06:44.140 --> 0:06:48.080 counts six, nine, and ten, you'll be placed on supervised probation, 0:06:48.140 --> 0:06:51.170 no contact with the victims. The state will dismiss counts 0:06:51.210 --> 0:06:54.010 two through five, seven, and eight, and 11 through 14. 0:06:53.990 --> 0:06:56.969 Is that your understanding of your agreement with the state? 0:06:57.270 --> 0:06:57.710 Yes, Your Honor. 0:06:59.520 --> 0:07:02.320 Under the terms of the plea agreement, Laura agreed to 0:07:02.360 --> 0:07:06.060 plead guilty to four of her 14 felony counts. For 0:07:06.120 --> 0:07:09.950 three of these counts, she faces supervised probation, which may 0:07:09.990 --> 0:07:13.850 still carry mandatory jail time. Sentencing for the final felony 0:07:13.910 --> 0:07:18.130 count remains open to the judge's discretion at sentencing. That 0:07:18.190 --> 0:07:22.070 carries a potential penalty ranging from supervised probation to up 0:07:22.090 --> 0:07:25.150 to 12 and a half years in prison. In exchange 0:07:25.190 --> 0:07:27.960 for her guilty plea, the state agreed to dismiss the 0:07:28.000 --> 0:07:32.150 remaining 10 charges. From there, the judge handled a few 0:07:32.190 --> 0:07:36.250 more administrative details, informing Laura she was officially giving up 0:07:36.290 --> 0:07:39.500 her right to a trial and couldn't appeal the guilty plea. 0:07:40.270 --> 0:07:41.640 In order to take advantage of the plea agreement, you've 0:07:41.660 --> 0:07:43.320 got to waive your trial rights because you're not having 0:07:43.440 --> 0:07:46.500 a trial since you're entering into a plea of guilty. 0:07:46.520 --> 0:07:49.340 I'm going to cover those rights with you. You'll be 0:07:49.380 --> 0:07:51.440 giving up the presumption of innocence. You'll be giving up 0:07:51.460 --> 0:07:53.380 the right to remain silent. You'll be giving up the 0:07:53.400 --> 0:07:55.540 right to have a jury determine guilt and aggravating factors. 0:07:55.560 --> 0:07:57.640 You'll be giving up the right to confront and cross-examine 0:07:57.660 --> 0:08:00.030 the witnesses who are called to testify against you. You'll 0:08:00.050 --> 0:08:01.869 be giving up the right to present evidence in your defense. 0:08:01.890 --> 0:08:04.550 You'll be giving up the right to testify yourself. And 0:08:04.570 --> 0:08:06.090 you'll be giving up the right to file a direct appeal, 0:08:06.110 --> 0:08:08.010 but you would have the right to file a petition 0:08:08.050 --> 0:08:10.740 for post-conviction relief. Do you understand all those rights? 0:08:11.040 --> 0:08:11.520 Yes, Your Honor. 0:08:11.540 --> 0:08:13.620 And do you want to waive those rights so you 0:08:13.640 --> 0:08:14.880 can take advantage of this plea agreement? 0:08:15.280 --> 0:08:15.800 Yes, Your Honor. 0:08:17.260 --> 0:08:19.580 Then, we got to the part where Laura had to 0:08:19.640 --> 0:08:23.720 respond to each charge. As I looked around the courtroom, 0:08:24.620 --> 0:08:28.950 everyone seemed to be stunned. Her mother, Jan Black... was 0:08:29.000 --> 0:08:31.600 sitting across the aisle on the other side of the courtroom. 0:08:32.380 --> 0:08:33.319 But I could see her face. 0:08:34.140 --> 0:08:38.960 She was completely deadpan and emotionless, watching her daughter plead guilty. 0:08:38.980 --> 0:08:39.880 Guilty. 0:08:39.900 --> 0:08:40.199 Guilty. Guilty. 0:08:58.770 --> 0:09:00.370 And how do you plead to count 10, taking the 0:09:00.390 --> 0:09:02.429 identity of another guilty or not guilty? 0:09:02.790 --> 0:09:03.209 Guilty. 0:09:04.650 --> 0:09:07.309 Laura admitted guilt on four felony charges. 0:09:08.110 --> 0:09:11.770 There was a charge for every listed victim. Then she 0:09:11.809 --> 0:09:15.020 had to provide a factual basis for each count. That 0:09:15.080 --> 0:09:17.360 means she had to admit the facts of what happened 0:09:17.880 --> 0:09:20.640 so the judge could confirm that a crime was actually committed. 0:09:21.440 --> 0:09:23.240 Laura's attorney read them on her behalf. 0:09:24.160 --> 0:09:25.020 Factual basis, please. 0:09:25.929 --> 0:09:29.680 Your Honor, as to count one, on or about May 17th, 0:09:29.679 --> 0:09:32.780 2023 and through June 10th, 2024, within Maricopa County and 0:09:32.800 --> 0:09:36.020 this court's jurisdiction, Laura Michelle Owens, pursuant to a scheme 0:09:36.059 --> 0:09:38.699 or artifice to defraud, knowingly did obtain a benefit from 0:09:38.760 --> 0:09:42.900 Clayton Ray Eckard by means of fraudulent pretenses, representation, promises, 0:09:42.950 --> 0:09:44.010 or material omissions. 0:09:45.730 --> 0:09:49.819 As to count six... Within Maricopa County, this court's jurisdiction, 0:09:49.840 --> 0:09:50.559 on or about. 0:09:50.400 --> 0:09:53.439 June 10th, 2024, Laura Michelle Owens, in regard to a 0:09:53.460 --> 0:09:55.670 material issue and believing it to be false, did make 0:09:55.730 --> 0:09:59.290 a false sworn statement to wit, claiming, that's me showing 0:09:59.330 --> 0:10:02.559 my pregnant son. Count nine again in Maricopa County, in 0:10:02.580 --> 0:10:05.940 this court's jurisdiction, on or between July 1st, 2021 and 0:10:06.040 --> 0:10:09.839 August 17th, 2022, Laura Michelle Owens, again, pursuant to a 0:10:09.840 --> 0:10:12.360 scheme where artist or fraud knowingly did obtain a benefit 0:10:12.400 --> 0:10:16.390 from Gregory Gillespie by means of fraudulent pretenses, representation, promises, 0:10:16.410 --> 0:10:21.310 and material omissions. And finally, on count 10, in Maricopa County, 0:10:21.330 --> 0:10:24.030 within this course jurisdiction, on or about August 6, 2021, 0:10:24.030 --> 0:10:28.050 Laura Michelle Owens knowingly did take, purchase, manufacture, record, possess, 0:10:28.170 --> 0:10:32.959 or use any personal identifying information or entity identifying information 0:10:32.980 --> 0:10:35.220 of Stormy Lynn Mitchell without consent with the intent to 0:10:35.280 --> 0:10:37.920 obtain or use the identity for any unlawful purpose or 0:10:37.940 --> 0:10:40.000 to cause loss to a person or with the intent 0:10:40.020 --> 0:10:41.460 to obtain or continue employment. 0:10:43.640 --> 0:10:45.599 Is everything that was said on the record true and correct? 0:10:46.020 --> 0:10:46.600 Yes, Your Honor. 0:10:46.950 --> 0:10:49.450 Court finds defense plea is knowingly, intelligently, and voluntarily made. 0:10:49.470 --> 0:10:52.230 There's a factual basis for each count in the plea. 0:10:52.250 --> 0:10:54.910 The plea is accepted and entered of record. 0:10:56.550 --> 0:10:59.679 After that, the judge moved on to scheduling the sentencing hearing. 0:11:00.860 --> 0:11:02.900 I'm good with the 23rd. You're good with the 23rd? 0:11:02.920 --> 0:11:06.520 All right, Mr. Leonard, 23rd? October 23rd works for both 0:11:06.559 --> 0:11:07.620 victims and the state. 0:11:08.820 --> 0:11:12.319 Sentencing was set for October 23rd. That's where we'll find 0:11:12.380 --> 0:11:15.040 out if Laura will face prison or jail time for 0:11:15.080 --> 0:11:15.560 her crimes. 0:11:16.610 --> 0:11:17.770 Anything else from the state? 0:11:18.590 --> 0:11:18.870 No, we are. 0:11:18.890 --> 0:11:21.570 All right, thank you. Anything from the defense? No, thank you. 0:11:21.750 --> 0:11:21.990 Thank you. 0:11:22.510 --> 0:11:22.929 All right. 0:11:26.690 --> 0:11:30.090 The hearing only lasted 16 minutes, and I felt like 0:11:30.130 --> 0:11:33.050 I was holding my breath the whole time. I was 0:11:33.090 --> 0:11:35.910 told Laura left through a side door. The rest of 0:11:35.990 --> 0:11:39.090 us filed out into the hallway. Clayton came right up 0:11:39.150 --> 0:11:42.620 to me and gave me a big hug. During the proceedings, 0:11:42.860 --> 0:11:45.650 we'd all been keeping our emotions in check. But when 0:11:45.690 --> 0:11:48.170 we got outside, they all came rushing in. 0:11:48.770 --> 0:11:49.630 I started recording. 0:11:49.650 --> 0:11:52.270 I want to hear in your words what happened. 0:11:53.670 --> 0:11:57.540 Laura accepted the plea. She took a minute to come 0:11:57.600 --> 0:12:00.239 in there. We were told that she signed off on 0:12:00.280 --> 0:12:02.219 the plea, but that she had to walk in and 0:12:03.440 --> 0:12:07.729 accept the crimes. And she did. That's a big moment. 0:12:08.470 --> 0:12:11.410 I want to say, like, Laura, I am proud of 0:12:11.429 --> 0:12:15.800 you for taking the first step towards accountability. That's genuinely 0:12:15.840 --> 0:12:18.380 how I feel. I don't want Laura to have a 0:12:18.420 --> 0:12:21.980 lifetime of suffering. I have become stronger through this. I've 0:12:22.000 --> 0:12:25.560 become more resilient. I wanted to be held accountable. We 0:12:25.580 --> 0:12:28.440 still have a sentencing. I'm still going to look to 0:12:28.480 --> 0:12:30.420 have her put in prison for some time because I 0:12:30.460 --> 0:12:34.599 believe that's how you begin the healing process with Laura 0:12:34.700 --> 0:12:38.800 to make her a better person. But this is a 0:12:38.820 --> 0:12:42.880 huge step today. She took accountability. And that's something we 0:12:42.900 --> 0:12:45.360 have not seen since I first met Laura. 0:12:46.440 --> 0:12:51.230 When did it finally hit you that this was real 0:12:51.270 --> 0:12:52.650 and that this was, like, over? 0:12:54.010 --> 0:12:57.610 For me, it's, like, once she accepted the charges, we 0:12:57.650 --> 0:12:59.189 then went into a side room and kind of shook 0:12:59.230 --> 0:13:01.550 hands and thanked the prosecution and talked about next steps. 0:13:02.410 --> 0:13:03.949 But then when we walked out of the courtroom and 0:13:03.990 --> 0:13:06.360 I saw you, yeah, I saw you, I felt, like, 0:13:06.679 --> 0:13:09.239 a wave of emotion overcoming. I felt, like, on the 0:13:09.260 --> 0:13:13.220 verge of tears. Because, like, this really truly is. 0:13:15.260 --> 0:13:18.660 Finally feeling like the beginning to the end. We are 0:13:18.700 --> 0:13:22.680 on the right step towards full justice, and obviously we 0:13:22.700 --> 0:13:26.080 still need to have sentencing, but it's not lost upon 0:13:26.120 --> 0:13:29.819 me that her being a convicted felon is huge. Now 0:13:29.880 --> 0:13:32.940 it's up to me and the prosecutor to look to 0:13:32.980 --> 0:13:36.359 get jail time or prison time tacked on to that. 0:13:37.140 --> 0:13:39.860 To me, that's now my responsibility, partly, and if it's 0:13:39.900 --> 0:13:41.740 meant to be, we'll get that outcome. But I was 0:13:41.800 --> 0:13:45.829 okay with the plea being agreed upon. And we got that. 0:13:45.870 --> 0:13:48.030 So that's a win. And I can thank the court 0:13:48.050 --> 0:13:50.270 for that and say they've done a great job. 0:13:52.230 --> 0:13:54.630 I got in my car and finally looked at my phone. 0:13:55.470 --> 0:13:58.809 I had dozens of missed calls and text messages. I 0:13:58.830 --> 0:14:00.970 thought I was going to drive away, but I was 0:14:01.030 --> 0:14:04.650 feeling an unexpected rush of emotions myself. So I recorded 0:14:04.690 --> 0:14:09.450 this voice note. I just left the Maricopa County Superior 0:14:09.530 --> 0:14:15.189 Courthouse after the settlement conference on August 28th, 2026. where 0:14:15.290 --> 0:14:18.010 Laura Owens accepted a plea deal in her criminal case 0:14:18.250 --> 0:14:18.910 in Arizona. 0:14:19.690 --> 0:14:22.190 It was extremely surreal to be in the courtroom. 0:14:22.870 --> 0:14:25.880 She had to say that she was guilty to all 0:14:25.920 --> 0:14:29.620 four counts that she pled guilty to. And I have 0:14:29.640 --> 0:14:33.320 to be honest, after following this case, it was emotional 0:14:33.380 --> 0:14:37.020 to hear her say that for me. And it's because 0:14:37.080 --> 0:14:40.420 I've lived all of the moments with these men for 0:14:40.440 --> 0:14:44.720 the last 15 months of them recounting their stories and 0:14:44.800 --> 0:14:48.550 telling me what happened and to see that there was 0:14:48.930 --> 0:14:51.850 accountability taken today was emotional. 0:14:53.260 --> 0:14:55.100 And when Clayton walked out of. 0:14:55.060 --> 0:14:57.420 The courtroom, I was already in the hallway and I 0:14:57.460 --> 0:15:00.230 locked eyes with him and immediately gave him a hug. 0:15:01.180 --> 0:15:03.650 and just told him congratulations and that I was proud 0:15:03.690 --> 0:15:07.550 of him for sticking with this and continuing the fight. 0:15:08.330 --> 0:15:10.410 And he told me in that moment that that's the 0:15:10.450 --> 0:15:12.350 first time it kind of sank into him and he 0:15:12.370 --> 0:15:16.410 got a little bit emotional. And that was also a 0:15:16.430 --> 0:15:19.450 really powerful moment for me. I know I haven't followed 0:15:19.490 --> 0:15:21.810 the story from the very beginning. I started in June 0:15:21.830 --> 0:15:24.750 of 2025 after his family court case. 0:15:24.590 --> 0:15:25.630 Had already been adjudicated. 0:15:26.430 --> 0:15:30.650 But I've been in this immersed in this for the 0:15:30.710 --> 0:15:34.130 last 15 months. And to see him finally get justice 0:15:34.170 --> 0:15:36.880 today and all of the other victims listed in this 0:15:36.910 --> 0:15:39.860 criminal case was extremely impactful. 0:15:40.140 --> 0:15:42.840 And I am grateful that I was here for that today. 0:15:58.430 --> 0:16:01.530 After the hearing, I caught up with Greg Woodnick. He 0:16:01.570 --> 0:16:03.950 didn't have to be at the courthouse, but he spent 0:16:04.010 --> 0:16:07.950 almost five years in litigation with Laura, and he's personally invested. 0:16:08.890 --> 0:16:11.440 So we sat in the front row right next to Clayton. 0:16:12.760 --> 0:16:17.300 Hearing Laura say the word guilty four times was a 0:16:17.380 --> 0:16:21.860 little bit surreal. I remember thinking to myself, holy shit, 0:16:21.920 --> 0:16:25.580 that just happened, and this has been a long road. 0:16:26.260 --> 0:16:28.850 And I remember kind of nudging Clayton on the leg. 0:16:28.890 --> 0:16:30.810 I mean, that was like the moment that it was over. 0:16:31.170 --> 0:16:32.730 He knew it when he heard it as well. 0:16:33.430 --> 0:16:34.170 It was a big deal. 0:16:34.450 --> 0:16:35.430 It was a really big deal. 0:16:36.670 --> 0:16:40.030 If you remember from our last episode, Woodnick predicted that 0:16:40.080 --> 0:16:43.360 Laura would take the plea deal. He credits her legal counsel. 0:16:44.480 --> 0:16:47.260 Listen, I'm so glad she chose to do the right 0:16:47.360 --> 0:16:50.880 thing and plead guilty. I tried to think about it 0:16:50.940 --> 0:16:53.720 in terms of if I were representing Laura, and I 0:16:53.760 --> 0:16:57.040 am grateful I am not. I think her current attorney, 0:16:57.500 --> 0:17:01.520 has done a great job representing her. I think Christian 0:17:01.580 --> 0:17:09.040 Luters just saved Laura from Laura. And entering this plea 0:17:09.080 --> 0:17:12.580 agreement gives her an opportunity to not spend a significant 0:17:12.619 --> 0:17:16.460 amount of time in prison. And someone as committed to 0:17:16.540 --> 0:17:19.920 their craft of lying as Laura was, it's probably hard 0:17:19.960 --> 0:17:22.220 to convince them that this is the best outcome for them. 0:17:23.130 --> 0:17:26.680 Laura may have thought up until that moment that she 0:17:26.720 --> 0:17:29.640 said guilty four times, that she could go to trial 0:17:29.800 --> 0:17:33.040 and lie her way out of this. That didn't happen. 0:17:33.920 --> 0:17:36.189 And that, I think, was the sigh of relief I 0:17:36.250 --> 0:17:38.570 had when I heard her say guilty four times. 0:17:40.270 --> 0:17:43.250 Knowing what I know about Laura, I asked Woodnick if 0:17:43.270 --> 0:17:46.610 there was a possibility Laura could change her mind. Can 0:17:46.650 --> 0:17:48.369 someone backtrack on their guilty plea? 0:17:49.270 --> 0:17:51.810 People back out of plea agreements. I don't want to 0:17:51.830 --> 0:17:53.859 say all the time, but there's a way to get 0:17:53.940 --> 0:17:56.929 out of the plea agreements. I don't anticipate that's going 0:17:56.970 --> 0:18:01.430 to happen here. I think Laura got really good legal 0:18:01.490 --> 0:18:03.380 advice from her attorney. 0:18:04.680 --> 0:18:07.980 Laura's decision to plead guilty means there will be no trial. 0:18:08.880 --> 0:18:10.760 We won't see all the evidence the state has been 0:18:10.780 --> 0:18:12.240 collecting for the past two years. 0:18:13.440 --> 0:18:15.600 I know there's a lot of people that wanted this 0:18:15.680 --> 0:18:18.950 trial to go forward. And I think the people wanted 0:18:18.970 --> 0:18:20.890 the trial to go forward to find out the depths 0:18:20.970 --> 0:18:24.750 of the fraud that Laura has committed over these years. 0:18:25.270 --> 0:18:26.730 And of course, there's a part of me that would 0:18:26.750 --> 0:18:28.630 have liked to see all of that exposed. I know 0:18:28.670 --> 0:18:31.210 a lot more than the public does, having been involved 0:18:31.250 --> 0:18:33.850 in this for a long time. And I can appreciate 0:18:33.890 --> 0:18:37.510 why people would want that all aired publicly. But I've 0:18:37.550 --> 0:18:39.600 always thought the right result here was for her to 0:18:39.650 --> 0:18:43.189 acknowledge her guilt so that people could move on and 0:18:43.300 --> 0:18:46.540 she could be appropriately consequenced and healing could begin. 0:18:47.859 --> 0:18:50.020 I've had so many people ask me if I think 0:18:50.060 --> 0:18:51.240 she's going to get jail time. 0:18:52.020 --> 0:18:53.740 The truth is, I don't know. 0:18:54.710 --> 0:18:56.580 It will be up to the judge at the sentencing 0:18:56.619 --> 0:19:01.060 hearing on October 23rd. Woodnick plans to be there, and 0:19:01.119 --> 0:19:04.140 I asked him to make one more prediction about her consequences. 0:19:05.840 --> 0:19:08.919 I think incarceration is going to be part of her sentence. 0:19:10.060 --> 0:19:11.660 A lot of it is going to depend on how 0:19:11.740 --> 0:19:18.000 Laura presents at sentencing. How she approaches her culpability at 0:19:18.320 --> 0:19:23.740 sentencing is a bigger deal. Really saying she's guilty and 0:19:24.200 --> 0:19:27.240 fully acknowledging that guilt and what she's going to do 0:19:27.280 --> 0:19:29.780 to make sure this never happens again is really a 0:19:29.840 --> 0:19:33.959 conversation for October 23rd. That's when we're going to hear 0:19:34.570 --> 0:19:41.190 and see what Laura really meant by the words guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty. 0:19:45.230 --> 0:19:47.450 A lot of the content creators who've been following this 0:19:47.490 --> 0:19:51.540 case from the very beginning weren't in attendance. no one 0:19:51.560 --> 0:19:54.820 knew what to expect and no one really expected that 0:19:54.859 --> 0:19:58.790 she'd plead guilty but reality steve was there and i 0:19:58.830 --> 0:20:00.389 caught up with him after the hearing. 0:20:01.190 --> 0:20:05.070 I was still in amazement that the word guilty came 0:20:05.109 --> 0:20:08.700 out of this woman's mouth four times After three plus 0:20:08.740 --> 0:20:13.459 years of covering this woman, it was just bizarre to 0:20:13.540 --> 0:20:16.359 hear the woman admit it. And I hope she sticks 0:20:16.400 --> 0:20:16.700 by it. 0:20:17.660 --> 0:20:19.710 I asked Steve if there was anything that I missed 0:20:19.730 --> 0:20:20.110 that day. 0:20:21.010 --> 0:20:22.750 One of the things that we were hearing in the 0:20:22.790 --> 0:20:25.270 courtroom that day, and I didn't hear it with my 0:20:25.310 --> 0:20:29.330 own two ears, but there were rumblings that, quote unquote, 0:20:29.890 --> 0:20:33.209 Laura just wanted to sign this and move on with 0:20:33.250 --> 0:20:36.670 her life. Which is basically what we've been saying for 0:20:36.760 --> 0:20:40.800 three years. The only reason people keep talking about this, 0:20:41.180 --> 0:20:45.639 which in turn upsets her, is because she kept it going. 0:20:46.420 --> 0:20:48.560 And so when I heard that, I was like, great. 0:20:49.520 --> 0:20:54.030 But actions speak louder than words. And if you admit 0:20:54.310 --> 0:20:58.330 to four guilty counts, stand by it. Stand on all 0:20:58.390 --> 0:21:02.330 ten toes and say, yes, this is what I believed. 0:21:02.490 --> 0:21:06.710 I did wrong. Here's why. She doesn't owe us anything. 0:21:06.790 --> 0:21:08.750 I think all of us that have covered it are 0:21:08.790 --> 0:21:11.530 still curious as to the whys behind a lot of 0:21:11.570 --> 0:21:13.770 this stuff. Maybe we'll get it from her someday. 0:21:13.810 --> 0:21:14.470 Maybe we won't. 0:21:15.619 --> 0:21:18.490 As someone who's been following Clayton since the rose ceremony 0:21:18.560 --> 0:21:21.679 from hell, Steve's been impressed by how Clayton handled the 0:21:21.720 --> 0:21:22.480 whole situation. 0:21:23.359 --> 0:21:26.460 When we were standing there and Clayton came out, he 0:21:26.480 --> 0:21:29.340 gave you a hug and I think you asked him 0:21:29.359 --> 0:21:32.980 how he felt. I just remember him taking a good 0:21:33.440 --> 0:21:36.850 probably 10 or 15 seconds Before he can answer, because 0:21:36.869 --> 0:21:41.010