BOSTON -- Massachusetts State Sen. Dianne Wilkerson has resigned from the state Senate, weeks after she was charged with accepting bribes.

Wilkerson, who was indicted Tuesday by a federal grand jury and charged with eight counts of attempted extortion in connection with her acceptance of more than $20,000 in cash payments, sent a letter Wednesday to Senate President Therese Murray to inform her of her resignation.

Wilkerson Resigns From State Senate

"Please accept this communication as formal notice of my intention to resign my position as the State Senator from the Second Suffolk District in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts," Wilkerson said in a hand-written letter to Murray.

The 53-year-old's resignation is effective Wednesday. Wilkerson had faced increasing pressure to step down, as well as possible expulsion.

"Today, Dianne Wilkerson has made the right decision. With her resignation, the good work of the Senate will continue as we commit ourselves to ensuring the public trust," Murray said.

Wilkerson was arrested last month after she was photographed allegedly stuffing bribe money under her sweater. It is alleged that Wilkerson accepted eight payments totaling $23,500 from undercover agents and a cooperating witness.

The payments were allegedly made between June 2007 and October 2008 to Wilkerson in exchange for her official acts in connection with obtaining a liquor license for a proposed club in Boston and the development of a parcel of land in Roxbury.

"This remains an active investigation,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan. “We intend to aggressively pursue all leads in this case, more fully digest the evidence we have gathered to date, and bring additional charges as called for by the evidence."

If convicted Wilkerson faces up to 20 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine on each of the eight charges.