Sublette County law enforcement officials announced today that a grand jury has indicted Cody Roberts for the charge of felony cruelty to animals, a crime that could put the Daniel resident in prison for up to two years.
The announcement came in a press release that provided few details about the grand jury, which met behind closed doors and is confidential in nature. The 12-person panel, selected by the 9th District Court, met during the second and third weeks of August. After “receiving evidence and deliberation,” the notice said, the grand jury returned a “true bill” resulting in the indictment against Roberts.
Early on during fallout from the incident, which incited global outrage, Sublette County Prosecuting Attorney Clayton Melinkovich suggested that he disagreed with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, which took the lead in responding to the Feb. 29, 2024 incident. Game and Fish has maintained that wolves are not protected by animal cruelty laws in areas of Wyoming where they are designated as predators by the state.
“While many of the animal abuse provisions do not apply to the hunting, capture, killing, or destruction of a predatory animal, there are narrow circumstances where a person could be charged and convicted of animal abuse,” Melinkovich said in an announcement in early April 2024.
Nearly a year and a half later, the grand jury agreed.
In the spring of 2024, Game and Fish’s investigation and subsequent citation were handled without public notice in the days after the incident. Roberts was fined $250 for possessing the wolf, though the investigating wardens could have issued steeper penalties and sent the case to court but declined to take that step. The leniency of the penalty stoked outrage that exploded globally when Roberts’ stunt with the injured wolf became widely publicized, with photos of him and the injured animal spread across the internet.
In the aftermath, the Wyoming Legislature even convened a “Treatment of Predators Working Group,” which included lawmakers and other stakeholders. That group workshopped a bill intended to deter the torture of predatory animals.
In addition to up to two years of imprisonment, felony animal cruelty can be punishable with a fine of up to $5,000.
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.
At the one-year mark after Roberts’ stunt with the wolf, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department declined to comment on Sublette County’s law enforcement proceedings. Agency personnel were unable to be reached when the indictment was announced late Wednesday afternoon.
“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 during the spring.
Lynn Bernard, who chairs the Sublette County Commission, told WyoFile that he expects the community to have a split reception to the indictment. Bernard declined to share his own views on either the incident or the indictment, but the commissioner cited a showing of support for Roberts during a spring 2024 motorcycle rally, when protesters rode to the Green River Bar.
“Take it as you will, that’s how people grew up,” Bernard said. “If you stop and look at our history, you’ll see pictures of wild game that has been roped and strung to a tree or pole.”
Condemnation of Roberts reached a fury partly because of what he did to the juvenile wolf while it was alive. The Daniel man allegedly acquired the animal by running it over with a snowmobile until it was barely conscious. After taking possession of the wounded animal, he kept it alive for an unknown length of time, taping and muzzling its mouth.
Animal rights activists and conservation organizations flooded social media Wednesday with posts commended the grand jury’s indictment.
“Today’s indictment is a step toward recognizing that all predators deserve protection from cruelty — not just pets,” the Mountain Lion Foundation wrote in a Facebook post. “Thank you to everyone who demanded justice. Your voices mattered.”
Reached late Wednesday, Melinkovich, the county prosecutor, said he could not disclose any additional details about the grand jury, a seldom-used vehicle for pursuing felony charges in the state court system. Even the vote of the body — nine of 12 jurists must agree to indict — is considered confidential, he said.
Associated legal documents are also off-limits to the public, he said. They will remain sealed, though attorneys will be able to unearth new evidence that the grand jury was presented. That could include testimony, because grand juries equip prosecutors with subpoena power.
“I have access to [sealed documents], through the state, for prosecution purposes,” Melinkovich said.
Roberts will receive a summons for an initial court appearance, where a judge typically sets bond for a defendant and determines whether he or she needs a public defender. An arraignment, where Roberts would enter a plea to the charge, would occur later.
“Then it will proceed as any other felony prosecution,” Melinkovich said.
He should have been locked up for animal cruelty. Shame on that lowlife bar and patrons who encourage this evil abuse.
Karma is real.
Don’t call yourselves conservative patriots either. You are an embarrassment to a civilized society.
Lock him up!
We must take action against such behavior. I was struck with anger, frustration, but mostly sadness. How can anyone do such things, and why would anyone serve as an audience without a conscience? This kind of behavior breeds generations desensitized to empathy and decency. This man has set the stage for a new era of precedence. Animals deserve respect, compassion, and dignity. We take from them more and more with every passing day; let’s stop the madness. Prudence demands justice for this young wolf, and we must take action to ensure this never happens again on our watch.
My heart brakes for the wolf,I have to skip over some of heart breaking details of what this poor animal endured,the thoughts of such cruelty, inhumanity. I survived 28 years of domestic violence .we as a people and nation have got to be better than this.shame on everyone who knew of this torture and done nothing,even smiled and took pictures.one God created all earth,air,water all creatures big n small.hopefully he does get at minimum the 2 years in prison, n hopefully a change of a heart n mind so evil however even he deserves better treatment than what he chose to give that wolf.My dad is a legal and responsible big game hunter ,and purchased land in Wyoming ( lives in ohio) for hunting purposes, we all can live together humanely. There’s a huge difference between protecting your livestock and torture.such an evil n cruel heart ,what a shame he has chosen to bring on his family,neighbors and community.
I will never ever get the image of that horribly injured, traumatized, bleeding female yearling wolf, painfully limping to the area of the Green River Bar, where she was put on display for the entertainment of its patrons, while she suffered and neatly bled to death, before finally being taken out of her misery, out of my mind. Listening to the daughter of Cody Roberts laughing “oh daddy, daddy” and watching him raise that poor suffering wolf’s mouth to his face for a final mocking kiss, fills me with absolute rage. This abused young female wolf is a spitting image of my beloved shepherd husky mix, Sascha, rescued at the very same age. The thought that Cody or his ilk could have maliciously run her down with a snowmobile, then forced her broken body with her mouth taped shut to pose for pictures then forced her into a bar full of patrons who allowed her to remain dying for hours while she suffered their petting and kisses and laughter and hatred just makes me sob. Thank god for the one brave soul who exposed this madness. Cody, you have reinvigorated an animal lover who will do everything in her power to ensure that you and anyone else who believes this horrific spectacle is acceptable, will never harm another creature again.
I just prayed that something would be done about it, and wasn’t very hopeful.
While it can’t undo what that poor animal suffered at the hands of this idiot, and the bar – it does give me hope.
To kill for survival is nature. To kill for pleasure is perverted and should be punishable in a just society.
I would almost support the charges being dropped if we never had to see Cody Roberts smug and stupid look on the internet again. What a hick! Scratch that, the next photo I want to see of Roberts is when he gets convicted for felony animal abuse. That’ll be a look worth about a million views online!
Just wondering why my comments were not posted. I followed the rules and guidelines. It is frustrating to invest time and energy into such stories and posting an intelligent, heartfelt comment only to have it denied.
Hi Angie! All comments that you have submitted have been posted. What comments are you referring to?
This thing should never have gotten to this point! Stupid people who are in love with predators had to get all worked up over this simple act!
CHEERS to attorney Melinkovich. SCORN for Game and Fish. CONTEMPT for the soulless, arrogant, two-legged predator for his Neanderthal actions. RESPECT for the grand jury. Forthcoming ACCOUNTABILITY and JUSTICE. A pathway to HEALING for Sublette County and the state of Wyoming.
Cody Roberts was so wrong for the treatment of the wolf. As it was pointed out to me by my children- THIS ISN’T THE WILD WEST ANYMORE. Times have changed and we all need to also. What Mr. Roberts did was beyond cruel. It was sick, disgusting, and perverted. Makes someone wonder how he treats any pets or his children. Only a sick mind would have treated a living thing with such living creature.
Cody Roberts deserves jail time. No excuse for cruelty to any animal for pleasure. After running over it with his snowmobile he paraded the wolf around the bar bragging about it, then drug it behind his snowmobile to death. Cody Roberts is a coward and a terrible person. Send him away before he does something similar to a woman, child, or weaker human being.
This is good news. No reason to be so cruel to our wildlife. Also I have friends who would not visit Wyoming because it appeared there was not going to be action taken against Roberts. I cant wait to them — you must visit beautiful WY and spend a lot of money 🙂 🙂 :).
I take huge exception to the statement “Take it as you will, that’s how people grew up,” Bernard said. “If you stop and look at our history, you’ll see pictures of wild game that has been roped and strung to a tree or pole.” Wait…what? What people are being referred to? “Our” history. Whose?
I am a Wyoming native and an outdoor enthusiast and I’d like to set the record straight. I’m certain I speak for 99.9% of Wyomingites when I say we grew up to respect wildlife, not torture it. If in fact a game animal has been hunted, of course it will have been strung to a tree or pole. It’s how it is processed! What on earth could that have to do with the abhorrent acts of torture inflicted on that wolf?
Lynn Bernard does not speak for me, or for any one of the many, many Wyoming natives who proudly still call Wyoming home.
Thank you, Jane.
You’re exactly correct.
Agree, 100%. Any ethical hunter will tell you that a kill should be quick and clean so the animal doesn’t suffer needlessly. What Roberts did was cruel without cause, and he should be punished accordingly. For those who support him or don’t see the problem with his actions, you should be ashamed of yourselves. I understand managing predator populations but, any Wyoming resident worth their salt knows to treat nature better than this.
You really want to make an impact on the cruel and ignorant who commit such heinous acts … stop eating beef. It’s bad for your health, bad for the environment, and worse on taxpayers as ranchers continue to live off cowboy welfare.
Has the killing of a human ever caused thsi much distress? Granted it was a stupid and cruelo thing to do, but to continue to torture the man to his dying day? Never has there been this must angst over the killing of a lamb or calf by the introduced wolves and their offspring.. I hate the killing and angst of the wolf, but….also every lamb and calf, as well as deer or elk fawn killed by the wolf.
A wolf hunts to feed on a calf or a lamb that is part of the cycle of life. Torturing a wolf it’s not part of the cycle of life. What he did was wrong and he will have to pay for it and should pay for it for as long as it takes or whatever the court hands down to him.
Due the the $250 fine paid to the Game and Fish, there is fear that the hayseed Cody Roberts will benefit from double jeopardy. No, these felony charges are strictly about animal abuse, NOT possessing live wildlife. Two completely different charges. Roberts is going to get that smirk wiped off that stupid face this fall, financially and legally. Ever had an extended stay on the outskirts of Rawlins, Cody? Another thing, regarding the ownership of the Green River Bar, who was there at the time of the wolf incident, with the injured and probably bleeding, emitting body fluids and potentially harboring diseases or fleas-ticks, possibly rabid, is there not a Health Dept. in Sublette County that inspects food and drink establishments? What a filthy situation so next time any of you think about wandering on down to the Green River Bar and having one of their “slaw dogs” think about how grimy your food might be. Also in regards to the State Liquor Board, shouldn’t they be involved regarding the ownership letting a patron get so inebriated and kept feeding him alcohol to the point that he thought it was acceptable to bring the wolf into the bar? Several entities need to be asked hard questions
I also grew up in Wyoming and this is not how I was raised. Maybe in a town where everyone is related – including, it seems, the original officer – this is common, but “we’ve always done it this way” doesn’t make it right.
This is perfectly said!
It is animal abuse ..what you dont see the tape around the mouth the fear in the animals eyes…Get it together..
So pleased that justice was served. No person has the right to openly and belatedly abuse any animal.
All I can say is “FINALLY”: a recognition that Cody Roberts’ cruel and abominable behavior toward that juvenile female wolf is criminal and dangerous. The research is crystal clear: the tendency toward cruelty for fun and for control isn’t limited to helpless animals, but is often directed at people as well. I very much doubt this incident was a one off: only this time Mr. Roberts had an appreciative and enthusiastic audience in that bar. Whatever else happens to him, he should be banned from hunting for life. He seems like the kind of guy who would consider that particular consequence akin to a death sentence.
Thank you for reporting on Cody Robert’s’ indictment for animal cruelty. His intent was to cause prolonged suffering to one of god’s creations. He enjoyed infliction pain on this young wolf. It takes a real man and real bravery to stand up against animal abuse. This is a very serious crime and Cody Robert’s needs to pay the consequence.
As in this article, was said , they used to give bad treatment to wild exotic animals .. does not make it right now ! How some people live in this day and age without a conscience is horrible. I’ve worked with domestic and exotic animals a fair amount in my life time . Through jobs , and on my own or through donation of my time , even had F1 wolves in my home . Without a doubt they feel as any other animal or human. They live in the wild and therefore have to adapt to fill their needs for surviving . Survival of our planet demands respect , and care . Without human care we will destroy all , and ourselves with it . I grew up in the woods of Montana, and even just in the past ten years I see a great amount of destruction, and carelessness. What will it take to wake humans up . Learn to live with nature , nature will help us live . No abuse torture is ok with humans or animals !!!!
It was quite a spectacle down at the Green River sheethole Bar when Ole’ Cody Roberts bravely dragged in a wounded wolf, taped it’s mouth and put a leash and shocking collar on it. Mocking, taunting and even kissing the defenseless animal. The toothless bar flies got quite a few chuckles over it and the charade continued on into the night. But now, the real fun begins as the rest of us watch Roberts go to court and face felony animal abuse charges. Better sell some of your trucks, Cody, as the defense attorney will not be cheap and maybe you better pass the hat down at your stomping ground tavern to see if the patrons will help out. Doubtful as the meth and toothless crowd ain’t got that kind of change jingling in their pockets. Yep, the real fun begins!
Stupid man, he should have just shot it.
The relationship between animal abuse and the abuse of vulnerable humans is indistinguishable. Fair chase hunting is not abuse.
Thank goodness this man was indicted. It’s not 1625, it’s 2025. We can no longer use the excuse of that’s just the culture this man was raised in. People need to think for themselves and control their own behavior and do what’s right.
Torturing animals? That’s what serial killers do. When someone enjoys watching an animal suffer, they are less than human and should be punished harshly – at the least. No functional family “raises” their kids to enjoy animal suffering.
I love the photo of the Green River Bar, so much small dick energy concentrated in one place. For Mr. Roberts. He will soon discover there are a lot of animal lovers in prison who will welcome him.
Whether this man is found guilty of the charges or not he’ll likely never have to buy his own beer in Pinedale. Animas toward alpha predators runs deep and wide in this neck of the woods. That being said there is absolutely no excuse for cruelty and torture of any animal and to say ‘well, that’s the way grandpa did it’ is asinine at best. By far the most of us growing up here have spent long hours at the reloading bench and shooting bench working toward one shot humane kills of the animals we harvest whether they be game or predator. Deviance to this ethic has been demonstrated in a rare few. The majority of sportspersons world wide would like to see this man get a max sentence and the demonstrably stupid commissioner out of office.
I feel so relieved that he is getting punished for killing the wolf finally justice for a life that was treated unfairly at the hands of a drunk person ( trying to be nice) . I hope that others will look at this seriously and think before you kill they deserve to live in there part of the land just like us . Thank you to the jurors who voted to step up for the wolf , justice feels great 😊 ❤️
Thank you so much for keeping this story alive! Cody Roberts absolutely deserves jail time and my hope is that justice is served.
Sublette County Commissioner Lynn Bernard’s comment that animal abuse is just part of “our history” is both revealing and depressing. This is the same “heritage” argument that Southern lawmakers used to defend slavery and Jim Crow.
You can do better, Lynn. Much better. Please start soon.
This is very welcome news. Maybe ecology should be taught in the schools. More people should learn about apex predators and their importance in an ecosystem.
It’s one thing to hunt an animal, shoot it and kill it. It’s an unconscionable to torment and torture an animal, making it suffer for any amount of time and then take pleasure doing such actions!! This is a very sick person and so are the others who stood by while it was happening!
I very much agree. We are a civilized nation and yet we have people who believe this is ok. Maybe they are dealing with borderline mental health issues but either way it should be stopped.
Finally, some great news associated with Cody Roberts. I’m anxiously awaiting news of Mr. Roberts relocation to the outskirts Rawlins, Wyoming for a length period of time. And hey Cody, I think you’ll definitely be a “sharp dressed man” in your DOC orange jumpsuit!
Good, cruelty to any animal is just that cruel. He deserves prison with his mouth taped shut.
I am very glad to see this. His actions were unconscionable.
I wonder if the degenerate clientele of the Green River Bar are still dancing a jig? They may of passed the hat for the measly $250 Game and Fish fine but it’s doubtful that these rubes will want to shell out the cash to finance Roberts’ extremely costly legal defense. How do you like that, Auntie Ivie?
Remember, there had to be patrons in that bar who thought what Roberts was doing was as egregious as it was or we would still not know anything about it. Someone videoed and photographed in order to turn the evidence over to Game and Fish. Not all of them are supporting him. Thanks to a few good folks in Daniels, Wyoming, Mr. Roberts may face the charges he should have faced months ago.
This is wonderful news. Thank you WyoFile for reporting it and thank you Mr. Melinkovich for seeing this case through. You helped to repair Wyoming’s reputation in the eyes of the world and you have given me hope that cruelty is not condoned by at least some of the residents of Sublette County.
Good news. This. This is the Wyoming I know, love and gave my mind, heart and soul to… a place where decency, hope, respect, and tolerance still, despite all odds, hold sway.
Cody Roberts what you did to that wolf was beyond cruel! Justice prevailed because people globally were not allowing you to get away with it. Wyoming heard the world’s anger and outrage loud and clear. People demanded that you be held accountable for your torturous acts towards this animal named Hope. There is no excuse for what you did and now you know it and will have to face the consequences. Hope’s legacy prevailed and justice will be served.
I’m grateful to the grand jury for indicting Roberts. This action is long overdue.
I’m troubled by the comments of Sublette County Commission Chair Bernard suggesting that Cody Roberts’ actions just reflect how people grew up. If his comments were meant to excuse or condone Roberts’ behavior, I can’taccept that. Some of us develop empathy and integrity and are able to discern right from wrong, even if we didn’t grow up with that kind of knowledge. There is no excuse for maiming or torturing an animal or a person.
This guy is a scumbag and that bar is equally as myopic and moronic for condoning his depravity
Even if he gets the maximum sentence that’s a slap on the wrist for the suffering he caused. People like this have no place in society.
Cody tortured, maimed and killed an animal for fun. That’s a psychopath by any measure. I hope this spineless infraction of person is prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
thank you for reporting.
This is welcome news. Thank you WyoFile for reporting it. Thank you Clayton Melinkovich for taking a step that upper management in WGFD, and the Game and Fish Commission, failed to take.
Hey Cody, still smirkin’ now?
Thank you so much, Mike Koshmrl and Wyofile, for reportIng the truth without fear or favor!🙏 We owe you a debt of gratitude for bringing this atrocity to the attention of the whole world, and potentially helping to bring the perpetrator to justice.
Well done! Now let’s hope for a jury of sensible people that see that this act was cruel and heartless. I only wish that these charges additionally had to do with the running over of a sentient being with a machine. This practice is disgusting, non sporting, has nothing to do with predator management and casts a terrible light on our state. We claim to appreciate our wildlife here, but that doesn’t ring true when “whacking” is still legal.
Yes, lets hope. But it’s going to be difficult to find people who are ‘jury of his peers’ that will vote to convict. There are a lot of good folk in Sublette county so I do hope that there are enough chosen to put this guy away.
Careless mistreatment of any animal, causing the suffering of that animal should be a criminal offense of at least 5 years in prison. When taxpayers pay for wildlife management laws to be enforced, they expect that. Those very laws are meant to deter such abysmal conduct, not protect it.
As a hunter and a wolf hating person…what he did was 100% wrong…if he would of just disposed of it in a way that was clean and fast it would be a different story..but when you keep something alive just for fun and torcher then he should be in jail…
Can I ask why you are a wolf hating person? Legit question. I want to understand why someone would hate a normal member of nature? It makes zero sense to me, so help me understand your position.