Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
BESSEMER — Two Ironwood men will be arraigned in Gogebic County Circuit Court on July 7 on charges relating to the alleged torture of a coyote.
Jason Charles Roberts, 34, and Dale Scott Allen, 45, were bound over to circuit court for trial by 98th District Court Judge Joel Massie.
The two hunters are charged with urging hunting dogs to attack a wounded coyote that was struck by a truck and then videotaping the incident. They also allegedly videotaped the mauling of a coyote that one of them had shot.
A young boy is seen watching the attacks in one of the videos.
The case gained statewide attention when a video of the dogs’ attack ona coyote was uploaded to YouTube.
Allen faces one count of torturing a coyote on Feb. 20, 2014, a four-year felony.
He is also charged with misdemeanors for failing to immediately kill wounded game, two counts of cruelty to an animal and taking game from a vehicle.
A Feb, 2, 2014, incident is also included in the charges against Allen.
Roberts faces the same felony torture count and misdemeanors for cruelty to an animal and failing to immediately kill a wounded animal. The three charges against Roberts pertain to the Feb. 20 incident alone.
Charges were filed by Gogebic County Prosecutor Richard Adams in January, with Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officer Grant Emery conducting the investigation and Ironwood Township listed as the site of the attacks that were videotaped.
Roberts and Allen are employed with the Michigan Department of Corrections at the Ojibway Correctional Facility in Marenisco. OCF administrative assistant Micki Sorensen said Monday morning both Roberts and Allen are on extended leaves from work.
