A Montana man has been sentenced to six months in prison for committing two felony wildlife crimes related to an almost decade-long effort to create giant sheep hybrids. Arthur “Jack” Schubarth, 81, of Vaughn, is the owner and operator of Sun River Enterprises LLC, also known as Schubarth Ranch. The ranch specializes in alternative livestock such as mountain sheep and goats, primarily for captive hunting operations.
According to court documents, Schubarth conspired with at least five other individuals between 2013 and 2021 to create a larger hybrid species of sheep that would fetch higher prices from shooting preserves. He imported parts of Marco Polo argali sheep (Ovis ammon polii) from Kyrgyzstan without declaring them. These sheep are protected internationally by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and domestically by the Endangered Species Act.
Schubarth sent genetic material from these parts to a lab to create cloned embryos, which he then implanted in ewes on his ranch. This resulted in a pure genetic male Marco Polo argali named “Montana Mountain King” or MMK.
Court documents reveal that Schubarth worked with coconspirators to use MMK’s semen to artificially impregnate various other species of ewes prohibited in Montana, aiming to create valuable hybrid animals for sale mainly in Texas. They forged veterinary inspection certificates and falsely claimed the sheep were legally permitted species. Disease introduction was a risk associated with this conduct; at least two sheep died from Johne’s disease during the scheme.
Schubarth also illegally obtained genetic material from wild-hunted Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep in Montana and transported and sold these parts interstate.
“Schubarth not only violated federal and state law and international treaties, but he and others illegally conspired to conceal their actions from authorities,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Violations of the Lacey Act, CITES and other laws can be devastating for our domestic populations of wild animals.”
“Schubarth’s criminal conduct is not how Montanans treat our wildlife population,” said U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich for the District of Montana. “His actions threatened Montana’s native wildlife species for no other reason than he wanted to make more money.”
“This case exemplifies the serious threat that wildlife trafficking poses to our native species and ecosystems,” said Assistant Director Edward Grace of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement.
“This case is complex and is a great example of how we work together with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,” said Chief of Law Enforcement Ron Howell of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
In addition to his prison sentence, Schubarth was ordered to pay a $20,000 fine to the Lacey Act Reward Fund, a $4,000 payment to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and a $200 special assessment.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks are investigating the case. Trial Attorney Sarah M. Brown, Senior Trial Attorney Patrick M. Duggan of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Starnes for the District of Montana are prosecuting it.