Montana man pleads guilty to giant hybrid sheep breeding [Video]

MONTANA (WJW) — An 80-year-old Montana man faces prison time after authorities say he spent nearly 10 years trying to create giant sheep hybrids to sell to hunting facilities.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Arthur “Jack” Schubarth has plead guilty to two felony wildlife crimes: a conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act and substantively violating the Lacey Act. Enacted in 1900, the Lacey Act aims to protect wildlife, fish and plants from illegal trafficking.

He owns Schubarth Ranch, a 215-acre alternative livestock ranch, in Vaughn, Mo., that purchases, sells and breeds livestock like mountain sheep, mountain goats and other hoofed mammals.

Schubarth deals with captive hunting operations like shooting preserves or game ranches.

Court documents say he conspired with at least five others between 2013 and 2021 to “create a larger hybrid species of sheep” that would garner higher prices.

He brought parts from the largest sheep in the world, Marco …