South Carolina House Speaker Bobby Harrell agreed to resign immediately Thursday following pleading guilty to misconduct in office.

Harrell pleaded guilty in Richland County Judicial Center to six counts of misconduct. As part of the plea agreement, Harrell was sentenced to six years in prison, which was suspended and replaced with three years of probation and forced to pay a $30,000 fine. He will also be responsible for reimbursing the state $93,958, which he took from accounts designated for campaigns for his own personal use.

"This has been a particularly hard two years on my family, and doing this today we hope brings an end to this," Harrell said at the hearing.

While Harrell did not speak to reporters after the hearing, he did issue a statement that followed similar sentiment to his remarks in court.

"I have agreed to this today to end what has been a two-year nightmare," he said. "This has been incredibly hard on my family and me, and it is time for it to end. We have a fundamental disagreement over the proper use of a campaign account to fly a private aircraft to conduct state and campaign business, but to continue to fight this would have taken at least another year, possibly two.

"[My wife] and I are deeply appreciative to everyone who has offered words of encouragement and prayers on our behalf," he said. "My passion for our state remains as strong as it has ever been, and I will continue to look for ways to serve the Lowcountry and South Carolina."

Originally, Harrell was charged with nine counts of misconduct. Prior to Thursday's hearing, Harrell had maintained his innocence in the whole situation.

Prosecutors suggested the campaign funds Harrell took were used for campaign expenses or legislative purposes. However, the indictment said he used the money to pay for personal travel, including a private airplane, as well as goods for his friends and family unrelated to his position as House speaker.