ROCK SPRINGS — A Rock Springs woman is accused of felony cruelty to animals and faces two years in prison after she is alleged to have poisoned her roommate’s dog, resulting in the animal being euthanized.
According to documents filed by Sublette County and Prosecuting Attorney Clayton M. Melinkovich, Allie Erspamer is charged with one count of felony cruelty to animals. The charge carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.
The Sweetwater County commissioners approved a resolution appointing Melinkovich as a special prosecutor in Sweetwater County Aug. 19. Special prosecutors are appointed in cases where there could be a real or perceived conflict involving the Sweetwater County Attorney’s Office, with the approval of the county commissioners. The defendant is the daughter of Rock Springs Police Chief Bill Erspamer.
A preliminary hearing was set for Wednesday, but was cancelled after a waiver was filed in Sweetwater County Circuit Court. Arraignment in Sweetwater County District Court has yet to be scheduled.
According to court documents filed Sept. 29, a report of a possible animal poisoning was made to the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office that resulted in the euthanasia of the juvenile dog. A deputy met with the pet’s owner who said they had adopted a puppy in December 2024, and had gotten a new roommate, Erspamer, the next month. The owner claimed Erspamer “expressed distaste” for the dog shortly after moving in.
The owner said the dog started having seizures in mid March and said around the same time that Erspamer said the dog bit her, but did not break the skin. Between then and April 17, the dog’s condition reportedly worsened and it was taken to a veterinarian, who recommended euthanasia on the animal. The dog was euthanized and its remains sent to the Wyoming Veterinarian Crime Lab in Laramie for necropsy. The owner said they were told by a person close to Erspamer that she had asked for antifreeze, but it wasn’t provided to her.
Dr. Margaret White examined the dog and said it appeared to be suffering from acute kidney failure and recommended euthanasia. She told investigators after the remains were sent to the veterinarian crime lab, a report from the lab confirmed kidney failure resulting from antifreeze poisoning.
The dog’s owner also learned of Snapchat messages Erspamer had allegedly sent claiming to have fed the dog treats that were sprayed with bleach. A search warrant for the messages was served to Snapchat by the SCSO. According to information received from Snapchat, Erspamer allegedly claimed she sprayed treats she fed the dog with bleach. After the dog’s death, Erspamer and a second person allegedly discussed how to avoid being discovered, including messages allegedly crafted to deflect suspicion.
Erspamer also allegedly used Snapchat’s AI search engine about the act, using a prompt “can an autopsy on a dog show antifreeze poisoning?” Another alleged query asked “what about bleach?” A third alleged query asked “how long would it take for bleach to kill a dog?”
