Wyoming man 'hits wolf with snowmobile and tortures it in bar'

A Wyoming man has been indicted on an animal cruelty charge after allegedly hitting a wolf with a snowmobile, taping its mouth shut and showing it off in a bar before killing it.

Cody Roberts paid a $250 fine last year, for illegal possession of wildlife. Now, he is facing more serious charges, after investigators delved into the incident. The 12-person grand jury found enough evidence to support the charge of felony animal cruelty, Sublette County Attorney Clayton Melinkovich said in a statement Wednesday.

Wyoming law generally gives leeway for people to kill wolves and other predators by a variety of means in the majority of the state. News of this comes as a mother and daughter in New York were recently charged with 37 counts of animal cruelty, with pets and livestock removed from their home.

Photos have circulated on the internet of a man identified as Roberts posing with the wounded wolf, its mouth bound with tape. The photo was taken on February 29 2024, in a rural bar near Daniel, South of Jackson.

Video clips show the same animal lying on a floor, alive but barely moving. Robert’s immediate punishment sparked outrage as it was seen as too light. A Wyoming tourism boycott followed.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, Government-sponsored poisoning, trapping and bounty hunting all but wiped out wolves in the lower 48 states, according to the AP.

A 1990s reintroduction program brought them back to Yellowstone and central Idaho, causing their numbers to rebound.

Wolves are listed as a federally endangered or threatened species in most of the country. However, they have no such protection in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, where they can be hunted and trapped.

There are exceptions to certain areas like Yellowstone and neighboring Grand Teton National Park, where hunting is prohibited. The wild canines are a key part of the major tourist attraction.

In 85% percent of Wyoming, wolves are classified as predators and can be freely killed by virtually any means. These “predator zones” include Sublette County, where the wolf was reportedly killed by Roberts.

If he is convicted, Roberts could face up to two years in jail, and a $5,000 fine.

This article by Alana Loftus was first published by NewsBreak on 22 August 2025.