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SUNSET, Utah (AP) -- A 69-year-old city council member has been accused of sexually assaulting a young boy.
Mel Vern H. Wood was charged Tuesday with aggravated sexual abuse of a child.
Wood, who has been a councilman since 1997, faces up to life in prison if convicted of the charge. He was not re-elected in the Nov. 4 election, and his term expires at the end of the year.
According to court documents, Wood caused "injury to the genitalia of a male child under the age of 14 years of age" sometime between Oct. 24-26.
Wood has not been arrested but will be served a summons to appear in court. A court date has not been set for an initial appearance.
Sunset Mayor Janice Galbraith said Wood is in a local hospital recovering from recent hip surgery.
Wood retired last year after serving as the public works director for Clinton City for 20 years.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
