LA minister guilty of distributing marijuana at church

LA minister guilty of distributing marijuana at church


By ANDREW GLAZER Associated Press Writer
Article Launched: 08/02/2007 04:24:17 PM PDT


LOS ANGELES—A minister with mail order credentials was found guilty Thursday of distributing marijuana through his Hollywood church.

The Rev. Craig X Rubin, 41, the leader of the 420 Temple who has appeared in episodes of the Showtime comedy "Weeds," faces up to four years, eight months in prison for possessing marijuana for sale, said Jane Robison, a district attorney's spokeswoman.

Rubin and some 400 members of his church believe marijuana is a religious sacrament and burn and smoke pot during services.

He said he won't appeal his conviction.

"If my society believes I'm a danger and a threat, it's better off without me," he said in a telephone interview. "Hopefully people will be nice to me inside. I barely ever had a ticket before."

Rubin, who represented himself, is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 17.

He said he feels less worried about himself than his seven children.

"I go hiking with them every weekend. I read the Bible to them every night," he said.

Rubin was ordained in 1990 by the Universal Life Church—which, for a fee, will ordain anyone. The Beverly Hills-born minister was arrested last fall and freed after posting $20,000 bail.


http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_6528491



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