HELENA, Mont. (AP) — An 81-year-old man from Montana, Arthur “Jack” Schubarth, is set to be sentenced in federal court in Great Falls on Monday for his involvement in a controversial wildlife trafficking case. He is accused of illegally utilizing tissue and testicles from large sheep hunted in Central Asia and the U.S. to create hybrid sheep for captive trophy hunting operations in Texas and Minnesota.
In March, Schubarth pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a conspiracy involving the illegal cloning of the Marco Polo sheep, which is regarded as one of the largest sheep species in the world. The cloning aimed to produce a more commercially valuable hybrid type of sheep for the hunting industry. While the Lacey Act violations carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison, prosecutors have indicated that they are not pursuing confinement for Schubarth, who is advocating for a one-year probationary term.
According to court documents, Schubarth’s attorney noted that the ordeal of cloning the Marco Polo sheep has taken a significant toll on his client’s “life, reputation, and family.” Despite his legal troubles, Schubarth was praised in a sentencing memorandum for successfully cloning an endangered Marco Polo sheep, which he named Montana Mountain King. This sheep has been seized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and is currently under their custody.
“Jack accomplished something that no one else has achieved,” the sentencing memorandum stated. “In a barn on his ranch in Montana, he brought forth the Montana Mountain King. This remarkable animal is a product of scientific endeavor. If given the chance, Jack would have preferred to leave the complexities of cloning the Marco Polo to the imagination of science fiction author Michael Crichton, known for his book Jurassic Park.”
Schubarth operates a 215-acre alternative livestock ranch called Sun River Enterprises LLC, specializing in the breeding and selling of various alternative livestock, including mountain sheep and goats. These animals are often sold to private hunting preserves, where clients pay to hunt them. Having been in the game farm business since 1987, Schubarth has a long history in this industry.
During the conspiracy, Schubarth is reported to have sold semen from the Montana Mountain King and bred hybrid sheep to three buyers in Texas. In a stunning reveal, a Minnesota resident transported 74 sheep to Schubarth’s ranch for insemination throughout the conspiracy. One direct offspring of the Montana Mountain King was sold for $10,000, while others with lesser genetic lineage fetched lower prices.
In a notable incident in October 2019, Schubarth paid a hunting guide $400 for the testicles of a trophy-sized Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep harvested in Montana. This act, along with bringing multiple sheep breeds that aren’t permitted in Montana, highlights the extent of the alleged violations.
The five co-conspirators involved have not been publicly named, but Schubarth’s plea agreement obligates him to fully cooperate with prosecutors and testify if required. Montana wildlife officials continue to investigate the case further.
In a personal letter included with his sentencing memo, Schubarth expressed deep regret for his actions, stating that his passion clouded his judgment, leading him to exploit legal grey areas in his pursuit of creating the ultimate sheep for the industry. “I got my normal mindset clouded by my enthusiasm and looked for any grey area in the law to make the best sheep I could for this sheep industry,” he wrote. He added, “My family has never been broke, but we are now.”
