Man faces court for breeding massive mutant sheep

Have you ever heard of someone breeding "massive" mutant sheep illegally?

An 80-year-old farmer was caught for breeding massive mutant sheep on his 215-acre ranch in Vaughn, Montana. 

The farmer, Arthur "Jack" Schubarth, recently pleaded guilty to wildlife trafficking and conspiracy to traffic wildlife in a court in Great Falls.

Court documents reveal how Schubarth conspired with at least five others over eight years to breed hybrid sheep using tissue and testicles from wild sheep hunted in Central Asia and the US. These hybrid sheep bring high prices as high as $10,000 from private hunting reserves.

Schubarth's ranch is known for dealing in "alternative livestock." He allegedly imported genetic material of the Marco Polo argali sheep, the largest sheep species globally, native to Central Asia. These sheep weigh over 22 stone with horns spanning more than 5ft. They are protected internationally and banned in Montana to prevent disease and hybridization.

The court heard how Schubarth created a purebred male Marco Polo sheep named "Montana Mountain King" (MMK) through cloning techniques. MMK's semen was then used to impregnate ewes of various species, resulting in hybrid offspring, one of which was sold for $10,000.

Schubarth and his associates forged veterinary certificates, falsely claiming the legality of transporting the sheep to stay clear of legal complexities. Furthermore, Schubarth illegally purchased genetic material from Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, the largest wild sheep in North America, to breed and traffic to other states.

Todd Kim, assistant attorney general, described the operation as an "audacious scheme." 

“This was an audacious scheme to create massive hybrid sheep species to be sold and hunted as trophies,” said Todd Kim, assistant attorney general. “In pursuit of this scheme, Schubarth violated international law and the Lacey Act, both of which protect the viability and health of native populations of animals.”

Ron Howell, head of state wildlife enforcement, expressed concern over the threat such crimes pose to Montana's wildlife integrity. “The kind of crime we uncovered here could threaten the integrity of our wildlife species in Montana,” Ron Howell said.

Schubarth faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count. Sentencing is scheduled for July 11.

Amidst these revelations, Schubarth express distress on his Facebook page, indicating no sheep sales in three years.

This case bears resemblance to the controversial 2019 hunting trip of Donald Trump Jr. in Mongolia, where he hunted argali sheep, a near-threatened species, sparking outcry from animal rights groups.