Wyoming guy suspected of running down wolf with snowmobile and abusing the animal gets charged

A Wyoming man has been charged with driving a snowmobile into a wolf and then torturing the animal in a bar.

Cody Roberts, 43, allegedly taped the wolf’s muzzle shut before transporting it to the Green River Bar in Daniel on February 29, 2024. He eventually shot and killed the wolf outside the bar.

The Pinedale Roundup reported on August 20 that a Sublette County grand jury indicted Roberts on one felony animal cruelty charge. He is facing up to two years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

The incident was widely publicized for weeks afterward, particularly as details and images circulated on social media.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department publicly acknowledged the incident in April 2024, calling Roberts’ actions “disrespectful.” Roberts, who could not be identified at the time, was cited by Game and Fish for misdemeanor possession and importation of a live animal, with a $250 fine.

Animal cruelty charges were not possible, the agency explained, due to the way regulations are established in parts of the state, such as Sublette County, which are designated as “predator zones.”

Hunters in these areas can kill wolves and other predatory animals without a hunting tag as long as they report the kills. There are no protections against animal harassment.

However, according to The Associated Press, the 12-member grand jury reviewed enough evidence over the last two weeks to support one animal cruelty case. (One image shows a man identified as Roberts posing with the wolf, whose muzzle was taped shut, inside the bar.)

Roberts has not made any public comments on the case.

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