Local prosecutors continue to investigate whether felony animal cruelty charges are warranted in the now year-old case of a western Wyoming man accused of badly injuring a juvenile wolf with a snowmobile and then showing off the wounded animal in a Sublette County bar.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department took the lead in responding to the Feb. 29, 2024 incident. The agency’s investigation and subsequent citation were quickly adjudicated without public notice: Daniel resident Cody Roberts was fined $250 for possessing the wolf, though steeper penalties could have been assessed if the warden opted to send the case to court.
At the time, Game and Fish officials contended in a statement that “animal cruelty charges are not applicable to predatory animals.” However, not everyone agrees with that legal assessment.
Once the incident became public a month later — attracting immeasurable scorn, but also death threats from around the world — Sublette County Sheriff K.C. Lehr and Attorney Clayton Melinkovich launched their own investigation.
“Can there be additional charges?” Lehr told WyoFile in April 2024. “I’m looking at that right now in consultation with our county attorney.”
One year and five days later, that investigation is ongoing.
“It is still active,” Melinkovich told WyoFile on Monday. “It’s not just pending — and it’s not like it could be pending forever.”
Since the case remains open, Melinkovich cannot disclose exactly what has taken so long, but he attributed it to forces beyond his control.
“Investigations take time, especially when you involve third-party labs,” the county attorney said. “Anytime you’re using outside entities to process evidence, it takes time.”
The lab results — of whatever is being tested — are now in, he said. But Melinkovich, like many other county attorneys, is overrun by his caseload. In early February, a heinous murder occurred within his jurisdiction: Big Piney resident Dakota Farley was shot and killed with a compound bow allegedly fired by his “closest, most trusted” friends, the Pinedale Roundup reported.
Roberts’ treatment of the wolf was moved to the backburner.
“In a triage of priorities, it is not at the top of the list right now,” Melinkovich said.
Existing law
Still, prosecutors will eventually decide whether to decline charges or bring the infamous incident, which included a stop at the Green River Bar, to court, he said.
“Charges that could apply would be felony animal cruelty,” Melinkovich said. “The statute says ‘an animal’ and ‘an animal’ includes a predatory animal.”
According to Melinkovich’s interpretation, the Wyoming Criminal Code has an exemption for predatory species in the animal cruelty laws, but only for hunting purposes. But a person who abuses an animal, he said, is not fully exempted from the felony animal cruelty laws — including cruelty toward a wild predatory animal.
Wyoming Game and Fish wardens are also authorized to enforce those felony animal cruelty statutes, Melinkovich said.
Felony animal cruelty is committed in Wyoming if a person, “knowingly, and with intent to cause death or undue suffering, beats with cruelty, tortures, torments or mutilates an animal,” according to Section 6-3-1005 of the criminal code. The potential punishment is not more than two years in prison, a fine of up to $5,000, or both.
Citing Sublette County’s investigation, Game and Fish officials declined comment.
“The Wyoming Game and Fish Department cannot comment on pending or ongoing litigation within or outside of our jurisdiction,” Chief Warden Dan Smith said in a statement.
Although there are differing interpretations of the Wyoming Criminal Code and what Roberts could have been charged with, lawmakers took steps in recent weeks to shore up perceived inadequacies.
And new statute
On Monday, Gov. Mark Gordon signed into law House Bill 275, “Treatment of animals,” brought by Jackson Republican Rep. Andrew Byron. The signed act creates the authority for Game and Fish wardens to enforce a new offense for torturing, tormenting, mutilating or causing undue suffering to wildlife — including predatory animals and predacious birds — that have been taken into possession. Violations start at a misdemeanor, but second or subsequent offenses are a felony.
Because it’s just becoming law — the effective date is July 1 — Roberts, who possessed the wounded wolf in 2024, could not be charged for that new violation, Melinkovich said.
House Bill 275, which was dubbed the “clean kill bill,” passed its committee and floor votes by wide margins every step of the way. The overwhelming support throughout the legislative process was heartening for Paul Ulrich, a Sublette County oil and gas industryman and fishing guide who co-founded a group, Wyoming Sportsmanship, that pushed the bill.
“It’s a big deal for Wyoming,” Ulrich told WyoFile. “Our goal was to ensure that our statutes reflected our ethical philosophy, and I think in large part that was achieved.”
Ulrich did not want to get into the middle of the Sublette County-Wyoming Game and Fish disagreement over existing law, but he stood behind the need for reform.
“I believe that up until two days ago, the statutes were inadequate,” he said Wednesday. “That’s the very reason we pressed and pushed and gained so much support for House Bill 275. The bill makes a very clear statement that torture of any of Wyoming’s wildlife is unacceptable.”
Some wildlife and sportsmanship advocates maintain the law still falls short.
Roberts’ case put a spotlight on the legal-in-Wyoming practice of running down coyotes and other species with snowmobiles and striking exhausted animals. It’s how the Sublette County man acquired the wolf: He struck it until it was “barely conscious,” according to Game and Fish officials.
There were two failed attempts in the Legislature to prohibit this brutal form of hunting, both spearheaded by La Barge Republican Rep. Mike Schmid, whose district includes Daniel and the Green River Bar.
“I’m proud of Mike [Schmid] for standing up for what he believes,” Ulrich said. “A lot of people in Wyoming agree with him, that we have more work to do. And I’m one of them.”
Cody Roberts — the man whose actions prompted an ongoing investigation, creation of a new law and push for creating more — did not respond to WyoFile’s request for an interview. To date, his account of what happened has never been told.
This is absolutely horrendous! Any human being that can watch the video of a gravely injured animal being tortured and take joy in it is NOT a mentally stable human. Cody Roberts and his aunt who made a video herself about the innocent wolf are not mentally stable and need to be held accountable. Being allowed to run down and torture ANY living being is the most horrible thing I have heard of and the “good ole boy” attitude needs to STOP. The video, pics, eyewitness accounts are enough evidence! Throw the book at them both. And to think, his own daughter was there! Not a great upbringing! Another generation of animal abusers!
As a former Wyoming Rancher I’m embarrassed that Wyoming persists in allowing the sickening practice of allowing predators or any other animal to be hunted in this cruel and barbaric method. The whole world is watching and Wyoming needs the whole world to bring tourism dollars to the state. This will discourage many and Wyoming continues to sport a “guilty as charged” shiner over this issue.
How much time does it take to figure out that a man is a monster?
It’s PAST time for felony animal cruelty charges. There’s actual video, for crying out loud AND Cody Roberts admits he ran over and tortured the young wolf. Charge him!
Take a look at your own dog or cat, lamb or horse, etc and point out how YOU would respond to seeing it be eaten alive. Actually the anger should be focused on those willing to sacrifice other folks living so they could enjoy the thrill of seeing the kids 4-H or FFA lamb, calf, or pony being eaten alive or the devastation to the lamb crop that would be sold for food for a family of humans. Unfortunately there is a lack of concern for those negativly impacted by wolves….just to thrill those who pay no price.
No one is advocating that predators should not be managed. This, however, is sadistic, brutal, inhumane, barbaric, recreational bloodsport. No animal should treated this way. And the legislators who persist in allowing it are just as guilty. Wyoming will continue to suffer worldwide criticism and condemnation as long as it’s allowed to continue. Wyoming needs tourism much more than it needs the damage these practices produce.
I live in the desert. I’ve lost two cats to desert predators – probably coyotes, maybe owls – because they got outside. And I would never run a coyote over with a motorized vehicle. The idea sickens me. Wolves and coyotes are living creatures trying to survive. You act like they come after your “living” like they’re a rival business owner. They’re wild animals. And no one’s family is going hungry because a wolf killed livestock.
the hideous outrageous cruelty of this case, and the barbaric practice of allowing snowmobiles to run over these animals is a heinous act of such proportion that it will not go away until the legality of it goes away…. citizens of Wyoming, and decent residents of this planet. keep fighting to end the sadistic practices of tormenting animals…..and please advocate to get psychologic help to the demented individuals who practice acts of torture to the animals…. make Wyoming recognized for the beauty of its natural landscape and the animals who were meant to roam freely in the magnificent land….
I’m guessing that many of ‘alpha male’ maga voters see those of us who care about the humane treatment of animals as some kind of ‘wokeness’. BTW, Cody Roberts is not ‘alpha’ but a sniveling baby who gets his giggles by abusing animals and parading his idiocy in front of other like minded (morally deficient) betas…
Sorry to see the Wyoming establishment reinforce this abhorrent behavior as it continues to slow walk doing anything about it. But I’m not surprised.
David. You’re wrong on MAGA voters supporting this behavior. My opinion is your just as bad of human as the guy driving the snowmobile that done this. If I would have been present in the bar that nite. I would have confronted this jerk. Than called the law. If that led to physical confrontation that would been fine as well. It really speaks a lot about the bar customers present that DIDN’T speak up and make that call. Small town or not. You stand on principles. Right is right. Wrong is wrong.
As long as the Ag community continues to insist they must be able to “mash” predators with snowmobiles any real reform of these laws will stall. They and the recreational “mashers” are the entire reason we do not have a law outlawing this horrible practice.
You can thank filth like Magagna (Wyoming Stock Growers) for maintaining the legal deployment of this action
The allowance of torture to any innocent animal is the allowance of torture to all of them. One can not pick and choose. It is well known that psychologists have identified individual behavior such as this as an indicator of a psychopathic personality capable of unspeakable harm. If we look the other way we are essentially agreeing that this is acceptable.
Charge him with a felony, prosecute him, and convict him. Take away his hunting privileges while you are at it.
I agree. The behavior was stupid, cruel, and I think the courts have plenty more to deal with. Put this away.
Yes Cody Roberts should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law! And that is not really enough as the laws are too lenient in protecting innocent animals from stupid people. Even better, he should receive the exact same treatment!
I would take any statement for Game Warden Chief Dan Smith with a grain of salt. While he was the Head Game warden for the Cody region, Smith spent a lot of time covering for the bad actor Powell warden who put the State of Wyoming into a multi million dollar lawsuit, yet was allowed to “retire” early and retain full benefits. Mission #1 of the Game and Fish department is to cover for themselves and any misfit employees.
just looking at the photograph of the wolf in the bar i feel the sickness that the state of wyoming allows to continue perpetuated by the livestock industry and our representatives in the state legislature.
Wyoming still has a black eye over this incident. The problem has not been resolved because enough people don’t want it to be resolved. It’s a form of sick recreation. Cody Roberts should already be serving time in prison and his hunting, fishing, and trapping privileges revoked for life. We still haven’t forgotten what happened to Matthew Shepherd.
There is no reason to treat an animal like this. Only a person with psychopathic personality traits would do something like this.
Wolves need to be hunted and their numbers managed, and cruelty to an animal should in no way be considered comparable to hunting.
Thank you for keeping this story alive! That bill is better than nothing. Wyoming g had a chance to make a difference and chose to side with the torturers. Ranchers don’t need to run over predators, shame on Wyoming!
when you take an animal listed as a “predator” put on a muzzle, leash and collar and parade it around some backwoods dive bar, posing it for pictures for all your toothless friends, in essence you’ve “domesticated” the same animal. Then, go behind the bar and shoot same animal. Yep, IMHO, that predator became an animal and the thrillbilly who caused this all should be charged with felony animal abuse. The Game and Fish were pretty gutless handling this case so maybe the Sublette Co. Attorney can show some huevos.
The county prosecutor has had a year to display a set of “huevo’s” and if he hasn’t done it yet, probably won’t. This Cody Roberts character must have quite a bit of clout in Sublette County to only receive a slap on the wrist $250 fine. Heck, the fine people at the world class Daniel Bar easily got 4 times their moneys worth yakking it up over this event
Excellent article. Thank you, WyoFile and Mike Koshmrl for keeping up with this story. The issue is not finished – not by a long shot. The majority of people who live in Wyoming abhor all animal cruelty and want it stopped. What Cody Roberts did brought the practice to light because he got caught. I am so grateful for the person/people who first revealed this story so that reform could begin. They were brave and ethical. I thank them and WyoFile for honesty and integrity.
An intriguing part of this story is the bit about “third-party labs.” Two veterinarians spoke to the Game and Fish Commission at its April 2024 meeting during a public comment period devoted to the Daniel wolf incident. They asked whether WGFD had taken the trouble of retrieving the wolf’s carcass and submitting it for forensic necropsy at an accredited laboratory. The purpose would be to assess the nature and severity of its injuries. This should be part of any investigation where severe animal abuse or cruelty is suspected. WGFD claimed in a press release that “we’re satisfied that every tool we have available was used, and used to the best of our ability. The Department has acted with transparency and in compliance with Wyoming law.” In two follow-up letters I wrote to Richard Ladwig, president of the Game and Fish Commission, I encouraged that a forensic necropsy be done. So far as I know, WGFD never acknowledged it authorized examination of the wolf’s remains and, if so, what were the results.
If attorney Melinkovich has now received the results of just such an examination, particularly given WGFD’s formal commitment to transparency, they should be made public.
I’m hoping somewhere along the line team orange will find a better way to genuflect than committing acts of animal cruelty or defending them in the public square. The positive in this prosecution’s incompetence and sloth is cody the coward will be running up her legal bills. She might lose her business and job in the long run. Looking for karma to show up.