Montana man sentenced for cloning and illegally breeding large sheep for captive hunting

VAUGHN, Mont. (TCN) -- A Montana man will spend half a year in prison for illegally breeding sheep for captive hunting facilities for nearly eight years.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), 81-year-old Arthur "Jack" Schubarth received the sentence for conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act and substantively violating the Lacey Act, which is a felony wildlife crime. The DOJ says the Lacey Act "prohibits interstate trade in wildlife that has been taken, possessed, transported, or sold in violation of federal or state law" and prohibits "the interstate sale of wildlife that has been falsely labeled."

Schubarth, the owner and operator of Sun River Enterprises LLC, also known as Schubarth Ranch, will also have to pay a $20,000 fine to the Lacey Act Reward Fund, as well as $4,000 to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and a $200 special assessment. Schubarth previously pleaded guilty in March.

According to the DOJ, between 2013 and 2021, Schubarth and at least five other unnamed individuals worked to create a larger hybrid species of sheep for shooting preserves that would bring in more money. The defendant reportedly obtained parts of Marco Polo argali sheep from Kyrgyzstan and brought them into the United States. However, federal prosecutors said Schubarth failed to declare importation. The average male Marco Polo argali sheep can weigh more than 300 pounds with horns that can span more than 5 feet.

The DOJ says Marco Polo argali are not allowed in Montana to prevent native sheep from disease and hybridization and are protected internationally by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and domestically by the Endangered Species Act.

According to federal prosecutors, Schubarth used the genetic material from the sheep species to clone embryos and then implanted them into adult female sheep to breed what he called the "Montana Mountain King" sheep.

Schubarth reportedly worked with co-conspirators to use the semen of Montana Mountain King sheep to breed other hybrid species, which is not allowed in Montana. The DOJ said the defendant’s "goal was to create a larger and more valuable species of sheep to sell to captive hunting facilities, primarily in Texas."

Schubarth and his unnamed co-conspirators reportedly forged veterinary inspection certificates so they could transport the sheep. Schubarth also allegedly sold Montana Mountain King semen to sheep breeders across the country.

According to the DOJ, "disease introduction was a risk associated with Schubarth’s conduct and at least two sheep from the scheme died from Johne’s disease."

Schubarth also allegedly illegally purchased genetic material from wild-hunted Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep in Montana.

Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division said, "Schubarth not only violated federal and state law and international treaties but he and others illegally conspired to conceal their actions from authorities."