Influencer Sentenced for Wyoming Hunting Violation

Samantha Strable, a 26-year-old social media influencer known online as Sam Jones, has been sentenced in a Wyoming court for a hunting violation, a case separate from the international controversy she sparked last year over a baby wombat in Australia. On August 27, 2026, Strable appeared via video in Sublette County Circuit Court and pleaded no contest to hunting without a guide. She was sentenced to 12 months of probation and a suspended 180-day jail sentence, meaning she will not serve time behind bars if she complies with the court's conditions. Strable was also ordered to pay approximately $800 in fines and court costs. Prosecutors dropped seven other charges against her, including allegations of hunting without a license, hunting during a closed season, and several counts of fraud or false swearing related to her claimed residency.

The case stemmed from an anonymous tip received by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, which alleged that Strable continued to purchase resident hunting tags despite not living in the state for over two years. Under Wyoming law, residency status is lost after spending 180 days out of state. An affidavit filed with the court claimed Strable...