CHARLOTTE, N.C. » A city spokesman says Charlotte Mayor Patrick Cannon has resigned effective immediately just hours after he was charged with federal public corruption and bribery.

Keith Richardson says Cannon submitted his letter Wednesday to the city manager and attorney.

The 47-year-old Cannon is accused of accepting more than $48,000 in bribes from undercover FBI agents posing as businessmen who wanted to do work with North Carolina’s largest city.

A criminal complaint from the U.S. Attorney says the Democrat, who has been mayor for six months, accepted cash, airline tickets, a hotel room and the use of a luxury apartment as bribes and solicited more than $1 million more.

Cannon says in the letter that the pending charges will create too much of a distraction for the business of the city to go forward.