Cherokee County magistrate removed by Supreme Court

<p>A Cherokee County judge has been removed from the bench for offenses he committed while serving in the military and which he failed to disclose when he became a candidate for the office.</p><p>The unanimous decision announced Monday by the Georgia Supreme Court against Charles T. Robertson II, chief judge of Cherokee County's magistrate court, tracks the recommendation of the Judicial Qualifications Commission.</p><p>Robertson, who earned a law degree in 1993, was elected to his position in 2000. As a candidate for the job, he was required to sign an affidavit swearing he had never been convicted of a felony.</p><p>But in 1979 following a general court martial, Robertson _ then serving in the U.S. Army under the name Charles Sexton _ was convicted of larceny for wrongfully selling an infrared guided missile tracker and a guided missile remote control test. He was fined and given a reduction in rank.</p><p>In 1980, he pleaded guilty to drug possession and was given a bad conduct discharge.</p><p>Robertson contended he was a confidential informant working undercover for the Army's Criminal Investigation Division when the offenses took place, and he argued that the offenses were not equivalent to felonies under Georgia law.</p><p>The Judicial Qualifications Commission and the Supreme Court said the offenses would have been felonies if tried in a civilian court.</p>