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The influencer whose viral video of her snatching a hysterical baby wombat from its mother off the side of a road in Australia sparked outrage last year has been sentenced in a separate hunting case in Wyoming.
Samantha Strable, 26, was sentenced to 12 months of probation in Sublette County Circuit Court — about 80 miles outside of Jackson Hole — on Thursday after pleading no contest to hunting without a guide, the Herald Sun reported.
Strable, who goes by Sam Jones online and appeared for the hearing via video, also received a 180-day jail sentence, which the court suspended, and was ordered to pay a $800 AUD ($575.40) fine.
Prosecutors additionally dropped seven charges against her, including taking an animal without a license or during a closed season and multiple counts of fraud or false swearing.
The influencer’s lawyer, Nate Jeppsen, told the court before sentencing that his client wasn’t “intentionally trying to violate Wyoming game laws” but “should have been aware” of her responsibility to comply with the state’s hunting laws, the outlet reported.
Strable was arrested by the Sublette County Sheriff’s Office on Nov. 21 after the Wyoming Game and Fish Department received an anonymous tip that she “continues to buy resident tags even though she hasn’t resided in Wyoming for over two years — and brags about it on social media to over 90,000 followers,” News.com.au reported.
Strable was accused of falsely claiming Wyoming residency to obtain hunting permits for black bears, elk, mountain lions, antelope and fishing.
Under Wyoming hunting law, residents lose their status if they live out of state for 180 days.
An affidavit filed with the court alleged that Strable spent only a week in Wyoming in 2024 and a month in 2025, yet continued to apply for hunting licenses.
Strable strongly disputed officials claims, as she said, “That’s not the case. I was here for way more than that,” according to an affidavit seen by The Herald Sun.
A search of the Game and Fish license database shows Strable began buying resident licenses as far back as 2022, the Cowboy State Daily reported.
The Wyoming charges aren’t Strable’s first brush with controversy.
Before her legal troubles in the Cowboy State, she sparked outrage in Australia after posting a video of herself snatching a baby wombat from the side of a road at night — running across the road with the terrified animal dangling from her arms as its mother chased after her.
The since-deleted viral video sparked immediate backlash — drawing thousands of death threats and condemnation from Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who called it an “outrage.”
A Change.org petition calling for Strable to be banned from Australia garnered nearly 50,000 signatures before it was closed.
Strable released a bizarre apology following the backlash that accused Australians of hypocrisy over their treatment of native animals and claimed the public backlash had put her life in danger.
“Am I a villain? Things, dear reader, are not as they seem,” she wrote. “Over holding a wombat, thousands threaten my life.”
Albanese responded with an unusually sharp rebuke, challenging Strable to attempt the same with an animal capable of fighting back.
“I suggest to this so-called influencer maybe she might try some other Australian animals,” Albanese said. “Take a baby crocodile from its mother and see how you go there.”
Strable later said she was “truly sorry for the distress” she caused — but insisted her only intent was to make sure the animals were safe.
With Post wires
English (US)