According to court documents and federal prosecutors, a rancher in Montana has been accused of illegally using tissue and testicles from wild sheep in central Asia and the U.S. to breed “giant” hybrid sheep. These hybrid sheep were then sold to private hunting preserves in Texas.

Jack Schubarth, 80, from Vaughn, Montana, admitted in court on Tuesday to the felony charges of trafficking and conspiring to traffic wildlife. These violations could result in a prison sentence of up to five years and a fine of $250,000.

Legal records detail a lengthy plot, originating in 2013, in which Schubarth and a minimum of five other individuals endeavored to produce “enormous sheep hybrids” through the interbreeding of various species. Their objective was to attain large sums from game reserves where individuals pay to shoot confined prize animals.

According to court documents, Schubarth obtained cloned embryos of a Marco Polo argali sheep, the world’s largest species of the animal, using biological tissue from a wild sheep killed by a hunter in Kyrgyzstan.

According to documents, the fertilized eggs were eventually transferred into a ewe, leading to the birth of a genetically pure Marco Polo argali sheep that was given the name “Montana Mountain King” by Schubert. Semen from Montana Mountain King was then utilized in artificial insemination procedures with other ewes in order to produce a larger and more valuable breed of sheep. This resulted in one lamb that Schubert agreed to sell for $10,000 to two individuals from Texas, as stated in the documents.

Officials state that male argali sheep can reach weights exceeding 300 pounds and have horns that can grow up to 5 feet in length. These sheep are highly sought after by certain hunters. Due to their status as a threatened species, they are safeguarded by international convention and are banned from being imported into Montana to safeguard the native sheep population from illness and crossbreeding.

According to court records, an unidentified person transported 74 female sheep of a banned breed from Minnesota to Schubarth’s ranch for the purpose of being artificially inseminated with semen from Montana Mountain King. As a result, the offspring with partial genetics from the central Asian sheep were sold for lower prices.

In 2019, Schubarth compensated $400 to a guide for hunting and acquiring the reproductive organs of a noteworthy Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep in Montana. According to records, Schubarth then extracted semen from these organs and used it to breed larger bighorn sheep, as well as crossbred sheep with the argali species.

Assistant U.S. Attorney General Todd Kim described Schubarth’s actions as “an audacious scheme to create massive hybrid sheep species to be sold and hunted as trophies.” Kim said the defendant violated the Lacey Act that restricts wildlife trafficking and prohibits the sale of falsely labeled wildlife.

When contacted by phone on Wednesday, Schubarth stated that his lawyer had instructed him not to discuss the matter.

“He expressed interest in discussing the matter, but is currently unable to do so,” he stated. His lawyer, Jason Holden, did not promptly reply to phone calls requesting a statement.

In order to assist in the government’s ongoing investigation of wildlife trafficking, the defendant agreed to a plea deal in which authorities have decided not to pursue additional charges against him.

Per Department of Justice representative Matthew Nies, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service currently has control over Montana Mountain King. As stipulated in the plea agreement, Schubert has committed to isolating any additional sheep with Marco Polo argali DNA, as well as any bighorn sheep that were taken from their natural habitat.

Under the agreement, federal wildlife officials are authorized to examine and, if necessary, sterilize the animals.

Under a 2000 ballot measure, Montana prohibited captive animal facilities that breed and allow hunting of game species. However, these facilities are still permitted in certain other states.

Lemon, spokesperson for Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, stated that Schubarth’s ranch, covering 215 acres, is licensed by the state as an alternative facility for raising livestock. Lemon added that the ranch was allowed to continue operations after the 2000 ballot initiative due to being grandfathered in, but hunting is not allowed.

Sentencing for Schubarth is set for July 11 before U.S. District Judge Brian Morris.

Source: wral.com