[420 Girl]

HAMILTON - Two men who operated a church where marijuana was sold as a sacrament here, were sentenced to prison Friday. Michael Baldasaro was sentenced to two years in jail while Walter Tucker will spend one year behind bars in connection with selling marijuana at the Church of the Universe.

In handing down his ruling, the judge called the operation "a marijuana convenience store that operates for profit like a prohibition-era speakeasy, but disguised as a church."

In 2004, police officers purchased marijuana from the church in an undercover operation.

Baldasaro and Tucker maintain that God tells them to smoke marijuana and pass joints to their Church of the Universe parishioners.

The case of the two men, who also lived in the church, made history in Hamilton because it's the first time a residence has been seized under the drug law.

"This will send the message that if you're going to carry on trafficking in drugs, growing drugs, on your premise or residence, it can be forfeited as offence-related property," added Hamilton Police officer Bob MacDonald.

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