TRENTON – The Assembly Republican leader is calling on a state Assemblyman indicted on three criminal counts of stealing more than $1.8 million from lenders and writing more than $3.4 million in bad checks to resign.

Assemblyman Jon Bramnick issued a statement Friday evening calling on his fellow lawmaker to step down following a grand jury’s return of a three-count indictment against Assemblyman Robert Schroeder.

“In light of today’s indictment of Assemblyman Schroeder, I do [not] believe he can continue to properly serve his constituents while facing these serious charges,” Bramnick said in the statement.

“I believe it is in the best interest of his constituents that Assemblyman Schroeder immediately resign his seat in the General Assembly.”

Schroeder, 52, is charged with issuing bad checks, misconduct by a corporate official and theft by deception, according to state Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa.

The charges are all second-degree offenses which carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000, according to Chiesa.