Montana Man Goes to Prison for Mutant Sheep

A Vaughn man is being ordered to spend 6-months in prison and pay thousands of dollars in fines after being caught smuggling parts of a unique species of giant sheep from Asia, to try and clone them as a hybrid trophy sheep in the U.S.

81-year-old Arthur "Jack" Schubarth was arrested last year and pled guilty in March to violating the Lacey Act, which is a prohibition on the interstate sale of falsely labeled wildlife.

Prosecutors filed the charges after an extensive investigation uncovered Schubarth's 10-year scheme to take tissue from the giant Marco Polo sheep in Kyrgyzstan and use that DNA to breed a "hybrid" sheep here in the U.S.

UPDATE: More out-of-season animals poached, left to waste

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What was involved in the "cloned trophy" scheme

Schubarth came up with the idea of developing a new hybrid sheep, spinning off of the giant sheep that can be found in the mountains of Central Asia. They're renowned for their large size, around 300 pounds, and especially their spiraling horns, which can be up to five feet in length, considerably larger than even the largest Big Horn Sheep in North America.

The plan resulted in a cloned sheep he called the "Montana Mountain King", which was confiscated by federal authorities.

A plea for clemency

Schubarth's attorney had argued for probation in the sentencing filings, saying the case had "ruined" his life and family.

Judge Brian Morris had allowed the defense to present additional letters of support. But when it came time for sentencing in his Great Falls courtroom Monday afternoon, Morris sentenced Schubarth to 6 months in prison, with 3 years of supervised release, although he will be allowed to "self-report."

Schubarth was also ordered to pay a $20,000 fine and additional fees.