A district court judge who hinted last week he wasn’t persuaded by arguments for dismissing the animal cruelty case against Cody Roberts filed an order Tuesday explaining why he was instead sending the high-profile case toward a trial.
District Court Judge Richard Lavery’s six-page order stated that “the plain language” of an exemption for predators like wolves written into Wyoming’s animal cruelty laws didn’t provide “a blanket license” to do anything to an animal. The “specific, enumerated exemptions” are for “hunting, capture, killing or destruction” of predators “in any manner” not otherwise illegal.
At a hearing last week, Roberts’ attorney Robert Piper described the entirety of the wolf’s time in Roberts’ possession as being an extended period of “capture.”
Lavery didn’t agree in his response to a motion to dismiss the case.
“[T]his case does not arise out of the capture of the wolf,” Lavery wrote, “but out of Defendant’s alleged conduct after capturing the wolf but before it was killed.”
The judge quoted legal precedent that established courts are “not at liberty to add words to a statute that the legislature chose to omit.”
Roberts allegedly acquired a wolf by striking it with a snowmobile until “barely conscious” on Feb. 29, 2024. Photos from that night showed him posing for pictures with the wolf and even kissing it. The wolf’s behavior suggests that it was gravely injured, according to biologists who’ve reviewed video of the muzzled animal while it was prone and listless on the floor of the Green River Bar.
The incident touched off a wave of global outrage that inundated Sublette County with threats and caused Wyoming state agencies to suspend social media accounts peppered with upset comments.
During the initial law enforcement response, Wyoming Game and Fish Department wardens cited Roberts with a $250 discretionary fine for possessing wildlife instead of sending him to court in pursuit of steeper charges.
At the time, the state agency contended what Piper is now arguing: That predatory animal species are exempt from animal cruelty statutes.
Sublette County law enforcement officials disagreed. Last summer, prosecutor Clayton Melinkovich convened a grand jury that later indicted the 44-year-old Daniel resident for felony animal cruelty, punishable by up to two years imprisonment. He has pleaded not guilty and remains free on bond.
Roberts’ trial is scheduled to begin March 9.
Well March 9th will be the start of a truthful story and legal outcome for the people and by the people under laws written by the elected & chosen people of the accused by his people. 🇺🇸🗽🧑⚖️
Barbaric, Inhumane, Vile!!!
PLEASE help to raise the consciousness of humanity by supporting actions against horrific animal abuse!
Give him lengthy jail sentence! Leave animals alone. STOP animal cruelty! KILLER!!!
C Roberts Trucking, LLC
Check out Paul Meullar Facebook post:
https://www.facebook.com/therealpaulmueller/videos/cody-roberts-conflict-of-interestit-seems-there-might-be-a-conflict-of-interest-/3660355674228891/
His trucking company did business with Fish & Wildlife Department before & after he tortured & killed Theia.
Mueller has listing of all the times & money paid to Roberts.
It makes more sense why Roberts wasn’t being held accountable by Fish & Wildlife Department now.
You can get the full details on the torture this young female wolf, named ‘Theia’ by wildlife groups widespread on the internet. She was ran over by Roberts who took her home after he taped her mouth shut & tied up. After she was languishing there for some time, he took her to the bar for some more “fun.” He had put a shock collar on her also & would shock her. You can see the shock collar in the picture of this article. She was heard moaning & crying though her mouth was taped shut. They had “photo ops” with Thena, laughing & thinking it was soooo funny. Roberts even kissed her as he was holding her up by the nap of her neck., knowing she was suffering. The patrons did not intervene on her behalf. But there were some brave ones that videod this torture & turned it in to authorities. She suffered for hours at the bar before Roberts took her out back & shot her. Nothing was going to happen to Roberts had activists not got involved. The Fish & Wildlife Department finally fined him $250….that’s it. Had there not been worldwide outrage this trial would have never happened. Thank you Jesus! Thank you judge for standing up for Theia.
I hope this man gets the maximum prison sentence for the inhumane treatment and torture he delivered on this wolf . He is an evil person and deserves a harsh punishment.
This is a vile human being behaving in a way that the current law was not prepared for. The depraved behavior was unprecedented and all that needs to happen is to make an example out of this freak show, then make an iron clad law to protect all wildlife from such ignorance and torture. This man is a bottom feeding embarrassment.
I’m beyond appalled but not shocked.. humans are the worst predators .. find out where he works.. if he owns a business boycott.. he needs consequences.. evil disgusting man!
Cody Roberts is an animal abuser. Running down an animal with a snowmobile makes him a cruel human being. He should never be allowed near an animal again, and never be allowed to own an animal. He should a wolf is just a big dog. Why would anyone be so cruel. Trophy hunting should be banned. Cody Roberts should be punished with prison time.
Animal cruelty of any kind should be punishable by prison time, in every state in this country. It should be taken seriously, regardless of the type, breed, domestic or wild. As a volunteer with a rescue organization, we rescue wild cats and dogs all the time. They can be domesticated with time and patience. Animals have feelings, emotions, family structure, and often are more humane than most humans. The only hunt for food, not sport. They will help other species. We need to live in harmony with the other mammals in our country and not torture, abuse or kill them for “sport”. I have seen cats, raccoons, deer and coyotes at the same food station. If they can all get along, why can’t we do better?
I am so pleased that the judge sees the law regarding his conduct this way. I hope he spends some jail time and has to pay a huge fee.
So disgusting and so disappointed! This is totally uncalled for you tortured that animal that wasnt killing a predator that is animal abuse and hurting a tied up defenseless animal you are the lowest of the low and hitting is with your snow mobile while drunk! That could of been a person and not a animal! Your disgusting
Cruelty, transcends any man made law. This person will one day meet his judgment, and hopefully very soon! Nothing you do does escape from universal moral law.
I am hoping that this guy gets sentenced to the fullest. He is guilty of wildlife cruelty withhout a doubt. No animal should ever suffer at the hands of man. For him to make this animal endure such harshness is not ok and he should be made an example of. And anytime this behavior happens at the hands of man should be punished to the absolute fullest. Without a doubt he should feel ashamed and he should pay for the outrage he has caused.
Gratitude to Judge Lavery for not giving credence to Cody Roberts’ ludicrous defense strategy. Mr. Roberts should just plead guilty and accept the consequences. He damned himself from the start when he openly boasted about his despicable act of torture. It can’t be easy on his family that his actions have made him the most hated man in Wyoming and beyond. I guess he never considered that.
There is good and there is evil in this world…I am not the judge, however we as a human race are to decide between the two collectively. This is a societal normnfor civility. There is a percentage of sub-humans that choose evil over good toward both humans and animals.
This case is unbearably heartbreaking, to see an innocent animal suffer at the Cruelty of 1 sub-human, and then to be exploited as if this poor wolf’s life mattered not…well it DOES MATTER! This was an act of pure evil, that ROBBED THIS ANIMALS ofnitsnlife in a brutal atrack. This was not a hunte, but a monster who thought it good entertainment to kill this poor unarmed and helpless animal, whose only goal in life is to survive by hunting, without guns, without bows and arrows, and without SNOW MOBILES…
Wolves are an essential part of the eco system and we need folks to learn, the way to co-habitate. Wolves get the dirty word PREDATOR attached to their profile as a way to JUSTIFY their killing. However man is the most dangerous PREDATOR on this planet!!!!
We must stop this insidious killing of our beautiful animals. We need stronger and stricter laws that make killing them punishable by jail terms and hefty fines.
I don’t profess to be someone who lives on a ranch , but I do profess to be someone who cares about animals and their conservation. Those who want to kill them offer excuses, onntheir own behalf of wolf intrusion , because that’s what they do , they try to justify their actions in every way.
I hope this trial finds this monster GUILTY and puts him away for a long time. He is no hunter, he is a coward, a menace to society and I hope he is made an example of and battered the rest of his life with words that act as bullets to his heart….
God bless this poor, murdered wolf who was brutally injured, mocked in front of cameras while sustaining grave injuries then killed. If you don’t think thisn is murder, think again!
This is getting kind of old, constantly supporting one wolf the was destroyed. granted rather bacly. Of course the animal it killed and probably ate while alive didn’t feel any pain..Your r public destructions of this man has been horrendus. I suspect he will have a great deal of surviving to live a narmal life again. You may think it would be wonderful to fin one of your animals standing with it’s guts hanging down from a wolf attact.
The lesson to be learned from this is simple. When you do something as slack jawed, mouth breathing, bugger eatin’ stupid as this, ” DON’T PUT THE PICTURES ON THE INTERNET”
My mind right now is doing flip-flops. Part of me wishes I never seen this article and the other part is glad I did, because hopefully what I have to say will reach others.
I am so heartbroken for this poor Wolf, looking into his eyes I could see the sadness and fear and my tears are blinding me. I do believe this is one of the most disgusting articles I have ever seen. How can any human do this to such a beautiful and majestic animal. I am so angry right now, and my thoughts are going places that are not very pleasant. Oh yes, I would love to do the same thing to Mr Robert’s……
Ok so the second most disgusting article I have ever seen is these words “felony animal cruelty, punishable by up to two years imprisonment” are you kidding me, up to two years? This poor animal is no longer with us, he died a painful and humiliating death because some coward wanted to fulfill his sick needs. Up to two years, WOW! I am totally flabbergasted. These laws have to change. They have to be much more stricter.
Please write your legislators and beg them to help. Changes have to come, we are their voice, please help.
One more wild guess here, you drank at the bar then drove your snowmobile home? Disgusting!!!
Running over a wolf, dragging it into a bar, while it’s barely conscious, is cruelty. Then posing for photos isn’t tough, it’s disgusting. That animal wasn’t a prop. This is not hunting, sport, or tradition. Wildlife experts say the animal was gravely injured. That’s the issue—period. No animal should suffer like this, predator animal or not this is unacceptable! Do better as a human !
This is so heartbreaking. I absolutely love wolves and I hope this guy I punidhed.
Sounds like an appropriate charge. Has Cody ever said why he didn’t finish the poor animal off? This is the kind of person that needs to have his behavior corrected.
I don’t believe that even most hunters would agree with this despicable sadistic treatment of any animal. Just how cruel can a person be. Hope he gets the maximum time in jail.
“[T]his case does not arise out of the capture of the wolf,” Lavery wrote, “but out of Defendant’s alleged conduct after capturing the wolf but before it was killed.” It is my sincerest hope that the jurors selected in this case remember these words.
He should spend the rest of his life in jail what a scum
One of those just because you can doesn’t necessarily mean you should moments. Reap what ye sow. Just another example how humans have the capacity to be the most vicious species on the planet.
I agree 100%
That loser tortured the wolf before murdering it. I hope his life is torturous and miserable before he puts himself out of misery. WTF is wrong with Wyoming that is isn’t against the law to abuse a predatory animal? That is unacceptable! All animals deserve to be treated humanely.
How can any human being think its ok to purposely run down and cripple an animal? How can an entire state say its lawfully ok?
Hey Cody Roberts, are ya still smirkin’? I wonder if the fellow patrons at the Green River Bar are passing the hat to fund your defense? Tell your auntie Ivy “hi” for me
What happened to the wolf?
Thank God, for this judge. Now, I pray this will continue to it’s right conclusion, and C.R. will receive the punishment he truly deserves.
Animals are not ours to unnecessarily harm!!!
Good news!
Cody Roberts clearly committed sadistic torture to this animal. That’s not acceptable by any standards in any civilization, anywhere during any time.