PENDALE, Wyo.– A Wyoming judge has sentenced a man to 18 months of probation for beating a coyote with a snowmobile before sealing the wounded animal’s mouth shut, bringing the creature to a country bar, then killing it.
District Judge Richard Lavery in Pinedale sentenced Cody Roberts, 44, to probation on Wednesday, according to Plea deal Roberts arrived with prosecutors in February.
Lavery also fined Roberts $1,000 and ordered him not to drink alcohol, enter a bar or liquor store, or hunt or fish during his probation.
Roberts told Lavery at his home Change the hearing In March, he expressed remorse for his actions and apologized to his family and community.
Roberts avoided up to two years in prison and a $5,000 fine by pleading guilty. He initially pleaded not guilty, and a trial date was set for March.
The incident occurred in February 2024 in Daniel, a town of about 150 people, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Jackson. Condemnation and scrutiny of Wyoming’s laws came in the wake of the widespread circulation of photos showing a wolf with its mouth taped shut.
A video clip showed the same animal lying on the ground, alive but barely moving.
Wyoming law It gives people wide latitude to kill wolves and other predators by a variety of means in the vast majority of the state. Roberts initially paid a $250 fine for illegal wildlife possession, but a rare Wyoming grand jury indicted him on animal cruelty charges last year.