Heroin Judge Quits: Illinois Judge Michael Cook Facing Drug, Gun Charges Resigns [VIDEO]

An Illinois judge whose colleague died of a cocaine overdose while on a hunting trip with him has elected to step down from his post.

St. Clair County Circuit Judge Michael Cook announced via his attorney in a letter to Chief Judge John Baricevic Wednesday that he was resigning, KMOV St Louis reported.

Federal prosecutors announced Friday that Cook had been charged with possessing heroin and having a gun while illegally using controlled substances, to which the former judge pleaded not guilty. He is free on bond.

St. Clair County judge, Joe Christ, died in March during a hunting trip with Cook, the cause of his death later being revealed as a drug overdose. The 49-year-old had been sworn in as an associate judge slightly more than a week prior to his death.

The announcement of Cook's charges came shortly after Christ's cause of death was made public, the Associated Press reported.

The two weren't the only ones who had partaken in drug use. St. Clair County probation worker James Fogarty admitted Tuesday that he had snorted cocaine with the judges and had repeatedly sold them the drug, including the night prior to the hunting trip.

Coroner Paul Petty said of Christ's death that he anticipates it will be ruled accidental as it is suspected that he died hours before his body was discovered.

Magistrate Judge Clifford Proud ordered Cook be released on his own recognizance provided that he enters a drug treatment program, surrender his passport and abstain from drugs not prescribed to him.

Baricevic said he expected Cook to resign and while he currently has no appointee, the court is not pressed for time in finding one.

I'm not surprised under the circumstances. In one sense, it was a formality, but a very important one," he said. "Disciplinary procedures seeking him removed could have taken a very long time. He has accepted responsibility, and that has allowed us to move ahead."

He said the courts were trying to move the case along swiftly so that it could be resolved and appropriate action may be taken.

"We're doing whatever we can to get to the bottom of whatever the issue is," Baricevic said. "Any community has to have confidence in public servants, including judges. That they're fair, honest and act with integrity. If they're not, we owe them an appropriate response."

Cook started as a public defender and became an associate circuit judge in 2007. He was appointed to circuit judge in 2010 and won a six-year term later that year.