Montana

Feds bust Montana man for super-sheep semen scheme

Published

2 years ago

March 17, 2024

Feds bust Montana man for super-sheep semen scheme

A Montana man pleaded guilty on Tuesday to two felony wildlife crimes that each carry a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, ABC reported on Thursday.

His crime: a seven-year plot to genetically engineer, via cloning and ovine surrogacy, a new sheep species for trophy hunters to shoot.

Arthur “Jack” Schubarth, 80, of Vaughn, Montana, conspired with at least five other people between 2013 and 2021 to import genetic material from the largest sheep species in the world—the Marco Polo argali sheep—from Kyrgyzstan to the United States. He then sent the material to a lab to create cloned embryos to implant in the wombs of his own natural American ewes.

The result of the scheme was a genetically pure Marco Polo argali sheep born to his own ewe on his own ranch. Schubarth named the sheep “Montana Mountain King”— MMK for short—and then used MMK’s semen to artificially inseminate other species of ewes—themselves illegal to possess in Montana—to create novel, hybrid sheep, which he smuggled in and out of Montana using forged veterinary documents.

The authorities were not amused. “The kind of crime we uncovered here could threaten the integrity of our wildlife species in Montana,” said Ron Howell, Chief of Enforcement for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP). Marco Polo argali sheep, such as MMK, are not allowed in Montana to protect native sheep from foreign diseases and to prevent hybridization, presumably because the native species are endangered.

The statement issued by the Department of Justice on Tuesday was scant on details about the lab that apparently cloned MMK’s predecessor for Schubarth, though court documents did provide the home states of five of Schubarth’s co-conspirators: three were from Texas, one was from Montana, and one was from Minnesota.

Dolly the sheep, taxidermized. (credit: Toni Barros via Flickr/CC-SA 2.0/https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en)

Cloning is a rapidly developing technology

Sheep have held a special place in the cloning imagination since 1996 when a domestic sheep named Dolly was the first animal to be successfully cloned from an adult cell.

In contrast to the MMK scheme, which authorities saw as a threat to the local, protected population of wild sheep, cloning has been proposed as a means to propagate endangered or even extinct species for which there is no viable reproduction chain.

In January 2018, scientists in China became the first to clone a primate, with the cloning of a macaque monkey. A year later, other scientists, also in China, created five cloned monkeys whose genetic code they had intentionally modified using gene-editing technology (CRIPR-Cas9).

The process of cloning a human being (Homo sapiens) would not, in principle, be categorically different from the process of cloning other primate species or other animals generally.

This technology raises ongoing and unsettled questions of bioethics.

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Related Topics:Featured genome editing sheep us department of justice wildlife

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Montana

Montana Lottery Lucky For Life, Big Sky Bonus results for Jan. 8, 2026

Published

6 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Jan. 8, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Jan. 8 drawing

05-12-13-39-48, Lucky Ball: 13

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from Jan. 8 drawing

05-15-20-28, Bonus: 16

Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.

Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.

Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.

Where can you buy lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.

You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.

Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 18+ (19+ in NE, 21+ in AZ). Physically present where Jackpocket operates. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Eligibility Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. Terms: jackpocket.com/tos.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Montana

Montana minimum wage increases to $10.85 | Explore Big Sky

Published

18 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Montana minimum wage increases to .85 | Explore Big Sky

By Micah Drew DAILY MONTANAN

With the start of the new year, Montanans on the lowest end of the pay scale will get a small boost as the state’s mandatory minimum wage increase goes into effect.

As of Jan. 1, Montana’s minimum wage increased from $10.55 to $10.85.

Stemming from a 2006 law, Montana’s minimum wage is subject to a cost-of-living adjustment, based on the national increase in the consumer price index published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

According to state law, Montana businesses not covered by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act are those whose gross annual sales are $110,000 or less may pay $4 per hour.

Montana is one of 30 states — plus Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands — that have a minimum wage higher than the federal rate of $7.25.

Twelve states, plus D.C. adjust their wages annually based on set formulas.

Montana has one of the lowest minimum wages that exceeds federal levels, with only West Virginia coming in lower among states at $8.75. The highest minimum wage is in D.C., at $17.25.

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Montana

Montana Lottery Powerball, Lucky For Life results for Jan. 7, 2026

Published

1 day ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Jan. 7, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from Jan. 7 drawing

15-28-57-58-63, Powerball: 23, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Jan. 7 drawing

05-14-15-21-39, Lucky Ball: 10

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lotto America numbers from Jan. 7 drawing

03-18-25-45-50, Star Ball: 04, ASB: 02

Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from Jan. 7 drawing

05-09-12-15, Bonus: 02

Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from Jan. 7 drawing

28-41-50-61-68, Powerball: 05

Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Montana Cash numbers from Jan. 7 drawing

09-11-13-16-40

Check Montana Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.

Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.

Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.

Where can you buy lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.

Source link