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A justice from a town outside Rochester has resigned after pleading guilty to taking at least $3,000 in court funds from the town and other money she was not entitled to, the state Commission on Judicial Conduct said Tuesday.

Erika Martin, who is not an attorney, agreed to never seek judicial office again after pleading guilty to two felonies and a misdemeanor related to the crimes earlier this year. She was a justice of the Manchester Town Court in Ontario County.

The commission said Martin engaged in a check-kiting scheme that drained money from the town's account, which was realized when a town employee tried to cash a check at the bank and was told the funds weren't there.

She was charged with stealing more than $3,000 in court funds from the town during the 2016 calendar year, according to the commission's decision. She was arraigned on the charges in 2017.

She took an Alford plea on the charges in April of this year. She said during court that she did not commit the crimes but thought there was a chance she would be convicted at trial.

“I did not do this. God,” Martin is recorded as saying in the court transcript. She said in court that she was taking the plea deal because she has two children to care for.

The felony meant Martin could no longer serve in her position. She vacated judicial office immediately following her plea in April and tendered her resignation Aug. 1. Her term was scheduled to end on Dec. 31, 2019.

Commission Administrator Robert Tembeckjian said in a statement that Martin had lost the public's confidence to serve.

“Committing crimes is inimical to the adjudicative role of a judge. Public confidence is naturally and irredeemably lost in a judge who admits to a felony,” Tembeckjian said. “Judge Martin understood that and appropriately agreed to vacate and never return to judicial office.”

Robert Julian, a Syracuse-area attorney who represented Martin, was not immediately available for comment.

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