We are utterly disgusted by the sentencing of Cody Roberts, the Wyoming man who notoriously tortured a young wolf in February 2024. Despite pleading guilty to felony animal cruelty, Roberts was sentenced by Judge Richard Lavery to zero days in prison, receiving only 18 months of supervised probation and a $1,425 fine. This disgraceful outcome is a catastrophic failure of justice and sends a chilling message that even extreme cruelty toward wild animals will be treated as a minor offense.

This case shocked the world. Roberts chased down the wolf with a snowmobile, taped his muzzle shut, dragged him into the Green River Bar, and later killed him. According to the facts presented in court, the severely injured animal was forced to endure prolonged suffering before being shot. Yet Judge Lavery let Roberts walk out of court without prison time.

More than 10,000 In Defense of Animals supporters took action on our alert and contacted Wyoming officials to demand felony animal cruelty charges and stronger protections for wolves. Because of your pressure, this case received widespread attention and Roberts ultimately pleaded guilty to felony animal cruelty. Thank you for speaking out for this wolf and for refusing to let this horror be ignored.

Now we must keep going.

One of the clearest next steps is to file a formal complaint against Judge Richard Lavery for a sentence that has deeply undermined public confidence in justice.

File a Complaint Against Judge Richard Lavery

Complaints against Wyoming judges are handled by the Wyoming Commission on Judicial Conduct and Ethics. Anyone who believes a Wyoming judge has violated judicial ethics may file a complaint. The Commission accepts complaints online, by downloadable complaint form, or by mailed written complaint with the required verification page. Complaints must identify the judge and clearly describe the conduct at issue.

Step 1: Go to the Wyoming Commission on Judicial Conduct and Ethics complaint page.

Use the Commission’s complaint page to begin your submission. The Commission also offers an online complaint form and a downloadable form if you prefer to file that way.

Step 2: Identify the Judge: Judge Richard Lavery

Make clear that your complaint concerns his sentencing of Cody Roberts after Roberts pleaded guilty to felony animal cruelty in the wolf torture case.

Step 3: Explain Why You Are Filing

Keep your message respectful, factual, and focused on the judge’s conduct and the damage this sentence has done to public confidence in the judiciary. The Commission says complaints should clearly identify the judge and the specific nature of the complaint.

You can adapt this sample language:

Subject: Complaint Regarding Judge Richard Lavery’s Sentencing in the Cody Roberts Case

I am filing a complaint regarding Judge Richard Lavery’s sentencing of Cody Roberts in a felony animal cruelty case involving the prolonged torture of a young wolf.

Mr. Roberts admitted guilt in a case that involved shocking and prolonged cruelty. Despite the severity of the facts, Judge Lavery imposed no prison time, sentencing Roberts only to probation and a small fine. This outcome profoundly undermines public confidence in the integrity of the judiciary and sends the message that even extreme acts of cruelty can be treated lightly.

I respectfully ask the Wyoming Commission on Judicial Conduct and Ethics to review whether this conduct and this sentencing outcome are consistent with the ethical duty of judges to uphold the integrity of the judiciary and promote public confidence in the courts.

Step 4: Add the Key Facts

Include a short factual summary:

• Cody Roberts pleaded guilty to felony animal cruelty.
• He chased down a young wolf with a snowmobile, taped his muzzle shut, brought him into a bar while he was badly injured, and later killed him.
• Judge Richard Lavery sentenced Roberts to zero days in prison, 18 months of supervised probation, and a $1,425 fine.

Step 5: Submit Your Complaint

The Commission allows complaints to be filed online or by form. If filing by paper, the Commission says the complaint must include the signed verification form.

What Your Complaint Should Focus On

The strongest complaints will stay centered on judicial accountability:

• This was an admitted felony animal cruelty case involving prolonged torture.
• The sentence imposed no prison time despite the severity of the cruelty.
• The outcome undermines public confidence in the justice system. This is directly tied to the standards in Wyoming’s Code of Judicial Conduct, which says judges must uphold the integrity of the judiciary and avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety.

Thank You for Taking Action

If you took action on our alert, we sincerely thank you. More than 10,000 supporters helped demand accountability in this case, and your voice mattered. We appreciate you and all you do to make the world a better place for animals.