Former Newburgh Fire Chief Michael Vatter on Friday pleaded guilty to defrauding his retirement fund out of thousands of dollars.

The 57-year-old acknowledged in court that he knowingly broke the law, allowing him to commit wire fraud and collect just over $95,000 in pension benefits before coming clean in 2014.

Vatter worked for the Newburgh Fire Department from around 1980 until his retirement in 2000 to study law. He returned to the department in 2009 as chief and never notified the state and local fire retirement system.

Vatter resigned from the department after being indicted in January. He says he plans to use his ongoing pension to repay the rest of his debt, of which about $17,000 has been repaid.

Vatter is scheduled to again appear at the White Plains federal courthouse Sept. 9. He faces up to 20 years in prison.