A rancher in Montana has received a six-month prison sentence for cloning a “near threatened” sheep from Asia and subsequently selling its offspring to shooting preserves, as stated in court documents.
Arthur “Jack” Schubarth, 81, has been sentenced to six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Additionally, he is required to pay a fine of $20,000 and contribute $4,000 towards community service for his involvement in cloning the Marco Polo sheep from Kyrgyzstan.
On Monday, Schubarth received a sentence for engaging in two felonies, including conspiracy to breach the Lacey Act and directly violating the Lacey Act, as reported by the Justice Department. Legislation exists that prohibits the trade of wildlife, fish, and plants that have been unlawfully obtained.
According to the Justice Department, Schubarth and a group of at least five others engaged in a conspiracy from 2013 to 2021 to develop a larger hybrid species of sheep aimed at increasing profits from shooting preserves.
A rancher has been found to have unlawfully imported parts of the Marco Polo argali sheep, a species known for its impressive size, often exceeding 300 pounds, into the United States, according to court documents.
Between 2013 and 2021, Schubarth was involved in the sale of mountain sheep, mountain goats, and a range of other hoofed animals, mainly catering to captive hunting facilities, as reported by the Justice Department.
The sheep originate from the lofty heights of the Pamir region in Central Asia and are not allowed in the State of Montana to safeguard native sheep from disease and hybridization, according to the Justice Department.
The Justice Department states that the sheep benefit from global protection under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and are also safeguarded at the national level by the Endangered Species Act.