Montana Rancher Pleads Guilty to Creating 'Giant Sheep Hybrids'

The scheme involved illegal cloning and importation of endangered Marco Polo sheep to sell to hunting facilities.

Arthur "Jack" Schubarth, an 80-year-old Montana rancher, pleaded guilty to felony charges for his role in creating 'giant sheep hybrids' through a scheme involving the illegal importation and cloning of Marco Polo sheep.
The scheme, spanning from 2013 to 2021, aimed to sell the hybrid sheep to captive hunting facilities, primarily in Texas, for exorbitant prices.
Schubarth and his co-conspirators used cloned embryos and artificial insemination to breed the hybrids, violating international and U.S. laws protecting endangered species.
The Marco Polo sheep, known for their large size and unique horns, are protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and internationally by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.
Schubarth faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each felony count, with sentencing scheduled for July 11.