Samantha Strable, 26, an influencer who previously faced international backlash for snatching a baby wombat from its mother in Australia, has been sentenced in a separate Wyoming hunting case. Strable was ordered to serve 12 months of probation and pay an $800 fine after pleading no contest to hunting without a guide in Sublette County Circuit Court.
The court also suspended a 180-day jail sentence. Prosecutors dropped seven other charges against Strable, including allegations of taking an animal without a license or during a closed season, and multiple counts of fraud or false swearing.
Strable's lawyer, Nate Jeppsen, stated that his client did not intentionally aim to break Wyoming game laws but "should have been aware" of her legal obligations. The influencer was arrested in November after the Wyoming Game and Fish Department received an anonymous tip. The tip alleged that Strable was continuing to purchase resident hunting tags despite not residing in Wyoming for over two years, and that she boasted about this on social media to her more than 90,000 followers.
Wyoming law stipulates that residents forfeit their status if they live out of state for more than 180 days. Court documents filed in the case alleged that Strable spent only a week in Wyoming in 2024 and a month in 2025, yet still applied for hunting licenses. Strable contested these claims, asserting she had been in the state for a significantly longer period.
A review of hunting license records indicated that Strable had been purchasing resident licenses as far back as 2022. Her legal issues in Wyoming are separate from the controversy that erupted last year after she posted a video of herself taking a baby wombat from its mother on the side of a road in Australia. The viral video, which has since been deleted, prompted widespread condemnation and thousands of death threats, and was denounced by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as an "outrage."
Following the backlash, Strable issued an apology, though it also contained accusations of hypocrisy regarding Australians' treatment of native animals and claimed her life was in danger due to public reaction. Prime Minister Albanese publicly challenged Strable to attempt a similar action with a more dangerous animal, such as a baby crocodile.
Strable later stated she was "truly sorry for the distress" caused but maintained her intention was to ensure the animals' safety.