Montana: Arthur “Jack” Schubarth, an 81-year-old man from Vaughn, Montana, was sentenced to six months in federal prison on Monday for illegally using tissue and testicles from large sheep hunted in Central Asia and the U.S. to create hybrid sheep for captive trophy hunting.
Six Months in Federal Prison for Illegal Breeding
U.S. District Court Judge Brian Morris expressed difficulty in determining an appropriate sentence, weighing Schubarth’s age and lack of prior criminal activity against the seriousness of altering the genetic makeup of animals. Schubarth, the owner of Sun River Enterprises LLC, a 215-acre ranch, had been involved in the game farm business since 1987, breeding exotic livestock primarily for private hunting operations. He was also fined $20,000 and ordered to pay an additional $4,000 to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Schubarth will be allowed to report voluntarily to a Bureau of Prisons medical facility.
A Complex Conspiracy Involving Cloned Sheep
The case against Schubarth stemmed from a conspiracy that involved breeding hybrid sheep from illegally imported tissue of the Marco Polo sheep, a species native to Central Asia and the largest sheep in the world. Schubarth had cloned the sheep, which can weigh up to 300 pounds and sport horns up to five feet long, to create more valuable animals for captive hunting preserves in Texas and Minnesota.
Prosecutors revealed that Schubarth sold semen from the cloned sheep, known as Montana Mountain King (MMK), along with hybrid sheep, to customers in various states. The hybrid animals were sold for significant amounts, with one direct offspring of MMK fetching $10,000. The total value of animals involved in the conspiracy was estimated to be between $250,000 and $550,000. Schubarth’s breeding operation extended beyond Montana, with hybrid sheep being sold to buyers in Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, and other states. At one point, 74 sheep were brought to Schubarth’s ranch in Montana for insemination as part of the illegal breeding program.
Endangered Wildlife and Legal Consequences
The scope of Schubarth’s operation raised significant concerns regarding the health of wildlife, particularly given the illegal introduction of non-native sheep breeds into Montana. Prosecutors highlighted the complexity and premeditation behind Schubarth’s actions, which included paying for trophy sheep testicles and extracting their semen to sell. In total, Schubarth brought 43 sheep from Texas into Montana, breaching state regulations.
Despite Schubarth’s claim that he was passionate about the project and had searched for legal loopholes, the court found his actions inexcusable. Judge Morris ordered that the remaining hybrid sheep with Marco Polo DNA on Schubarth’s ranch be slaughtered by the end of the year, with the meat donated to a food bank. Schubarth expressed regret for his actions, acknowledging that his enthusiasm had clouded his judgment. He has been barred from breeding game stock during his three-year probation period and is required to fully cooperate with prosecutors as the investigation into the conspiracy continues.
or a specific category with our 
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.