PINEDALE, Wyo. — On Monday, April 22, the Sublette County Sheriff’s Office announced its continued investigation into the wolf possession incident that occurred on February 29, and released a statement from the Sublette County Attorney’s office.
While the office did not yet release any findings from its investigation of the incident, Sublette County Attorney Clayton M. Melinkovich addressed the public feedback on a number of factors surrounding the case. Melinkovich began by responding to the public’s dissatisfaction with the $250 citation issued to Cody Roberts, the man found to be in possession of the wolf.
“The citation was issued prior to any allegations of abuse during the time he possessed the wolf and this office, nor the Sublette County Sheriff’s Office, was involved in the issuance of that citation,” Melinkovich wrote in the statement.
According to the Attorney’s Office, the existence of the citation does not eliminate the potential for future charges. The office stated that it has no control over the existing law allowing the hunting of wolves in Wyoming. Wyo. Stat. § 23-3-306 rules that any intentional killing of a predatory animal with the use of a helicopter, automotive vehicle, trailer, motor-propelled wheeled vehicle or vehicle designed for travel over snow is lawful, and does not constitute animal abuse under the laws of Wyoming.
While it is not against the law for a person in Wyoming to hunt a wolf with a snowmobile, there are certain circumstances where a person can still be charged with animal abuse.
“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,” the Sublette County Attorney’s office said in its report.
Melinkovich and Sheriff Lehr ask for public understanding during the investigative process. Additionally, the report states that any threats of violence will not influence any prosecutorial decision.
“I fully respect your concern, outrage and any other opinion regarding this or any other issue,” Melinkovich said. “I simply cannot charge a person with a crime simply because a lot of people have asked me to do so.”
View the full Sublette County Attorney’s office statement here.
Buckrail will continue to report on this story as information is released.
