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Trial starts for former Wilton mayor

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By Jennifer Meyer | Wednesday, August 29, 2007 |

The drug manufacturing and distributing conspiracy trial of former Wilton, Iowa, mayor Richard “Dick” Summy began Tuesday with jury selection in U.S. District Court in Davenport.

Summy, 56, was indicted on charges of conspiring to manufacture and deliver marijuana. He was arrested in September 2006 on the federal charges at an Iowa League of Cities meeting in Coralville.

After two years as mayor of the city, Summy resigned in October 2006, less than a month after he was charged.

Law enforcement officers involved in a year-long investigation allege Summy worked with a Keokuk, Iowa, businessman to grow and deliver more than 100 marijuana plants between January 2003 and

September 2006.

Roger Houston, Summy’s alleged conspirator, is among 18 witnesses the state plans to call during the trial, according to a preliminary witness list on file.

Houston admitted growing marijuana plants in the basement of his Keokuk heating and air conditioning business in Keokuk. He pleaded guilty in May, but has not yet been sentenced, to identical charges of conspiring to manufacture and distribute marijuana.

Houston, who cooperated with investigators, could receive less than the minimum five-year prison sentence.

Summy’s attorney, F. Montgomery Brown of Clive, said Summy “believes he conspired to distribute marijuana, but not to manufacture it.”

Summy attempted in May to plead guilty to conspiracy to deliver marijuana, but Judge John Jarvey rejected the plea because the double jeopardy statute may have prevented Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Melisa Zaehringer from pursuing the manufacturing charge.

At the time of his rejected plea, Summy said he entered an agreement with a confidential informant for the purchase of Houston’s marijuana.

The informant told authorities he purchased either half- or whole-pound quantities of marijuana from Summy every six weeks, according to court documents. Summy was also allegedly captured on surveillance video accepting $800 in marked bills at a Des Moines bar in March 2006.

He faces up to 40 years in prison and $2 million in fines if convicted.

Jennifer Meyer can be contacted at

(563) 262-0525 or

jennifer.meyer@muscatinejournal.com.