Cody Roberts Indicted for Felony Animal Cruelty in Wolf Abuse Case

More than a year after shocking footage of a muzzled wolf in a Wyoming bar went viral, Cody Roberts of Sublette County is now facing a felony charge of animal cruelty.

A grand jury handed down the indictment this month, according to an Aug. 20 press release from the Sublette County Attorney’s Office. Roberts is charged under Wyoming Statute § 6-3-1005(a)(ii)(2024), a felony punishable by up to two years in prison, a $5,000 fine—or both.

“This has been 18 months in the making,” said Cali O’Hare, editor of the Pinedale Roundup. “A lot of folks both locally and around the world really didn’t think this would happen.”

In February 2024, Roberts allegedly ran down a wolf with a snowmobile, muzzled it, and later brought the injured animal into the Green River Bar. Videos show the wolf lying on the barroom floor as Roberts tries to kiss it on the snout while patrons look on.

Initially, Roberts was only fined $250 by Wyoming Game and Fish for possession of live wildlife. That penalty—and the lack of further charges—sparked international outrage, calls for boycotts of Wyoming tourism, and even death threats aimed at local businesses and people sharing Roberts’ last name.

The uproar eventually reached the Wyoming Legislature, which passed a bill toughening penalties for animal cruelty. Under the new law, which took effect July 1, violators can face up to $5,000 in fines and lose hunting licenses. But it won’t apply retroactively to Roberts’ case. Importantly, it also left a loophole—running over predators with snowmobiles is still legal.

One lawmaker admitted that until that changes, Wyoming will carry a “black eye” on the issue.

With the indictment in place, Roberts’ case will now move forward like any other criminal proceeding. A judge will set bond at a future summons hearing, followed by an arraignment where Roberts can enter a plea. No dates have been set.

Grand juries are rarely used in Wyoming, but officials said the secrecy helped protect witnesses who feared retaliation. O’Hare noted that many locals didn’t want to testify publicly “for fear of their lives, their families, and their jobs.”

The indictment was first reported by the Pinedale Roundup—a personal victory for O’Hare, who just saw her newspaper saved from closure by new Wyoming-based owners forming 307 Media LLC.

“To be able to break this news for Sublette County residents, knowing how much this decision has been anticipated—it’s really a source of pride,” she said.

As of now, Roberts and his family have not commented publicly on the indictment.

The original story by Caitlin Tan for Wyoming Public Media.