81-Year-Old Man Sentenced for Cloning Hybrid Sheep for Trophy Hunting
Arthur “Jack” Schubarth, an 81-year-old Montana resident, has been sentenced to six months in federal prison for his involvement in cloning and breeding giant hybrid sheep intended for captive trophy hunting.
The Case
Schubarth, the owner of Sun River Enterprises LLC, a 215-acre alternative livestock ranch, conspired to create large, hybrid sheep to attract hunters. He obtained tissue and testicles from Marco Polo sheep, which he hunted in Kyrgyzstan in 2013, using the material to clone a breed he named the “Montana Mountain King” (MMK).
Illegal Activities
Schubarth’s illegal operations included:
- Smuggling tissue from Marco Polo sheep into the U.S.
- Cloning the sheep from this tissue
- Breeding the clone with other sheep to create hybrids
- Selling semen and hybrid offspring to hunters across various states
One direct descendant of the MMK sold for $10,000, while others with lesser MMK genetics were sold for smaller amounts. The total value of the animals involved ranged from $250,000 to $550,000.
The Sentence
U.S. District Court Judge Brian Morris sentenced Schubarth to:
- Six months in federal prison
- A $20,000 fine
- A $4,000 payment to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Foundation
- Three years of probation during which Schubarth cannot breed game stock
The judge noted the difficulty in determining a fitting punishment, balancing Schubarth’s age and clean criminal record with the need to prevent others from manipulating the genetic makeup of living creatures.
Aftermath
The cloned Marco Polo sheep has been confiscated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and will be transferred to a zoo. Schubarth is required to slaughter the remaining hybrid sheep with Marco Polo DNA by the end of the year, with the meat to be donated to food banks.
Expressing remorse, Schubarth said, “I will have to work the rest of my life to repair everything I’ve done.” His attorney stated the case has destroyed Schubarth’s “life, reputation, and family.”
