Video allegedly reveals former Holyoke city councilor as member of Russian military

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) — A new video has surfaced this week that is making national headlines, apparently showing former Holyoke City Councilman Wilmer Puello-Mota being interrogated as part of the Russian military.

Puello Mota was scheduled to go on trial in Rhode Island in January on child pornography charges.

However, officials there told Western Mass News that he fled the country days before the trial, taking a flight from Washington, DC to Turkey. A few months ago, another video surfaced when a Russian media outlet published a video that appeared to show Puello-Mota joining the Russian army.

“I'm Will, I'm from Massachusetts,” Puello-Mota appears to say in the video. “I was a city councilman for two years.”

The video also shows the man, allegedly Wilmer Puello-Mota, saying he is from Boston, which is also the name other members of the Russian military use as his call name.

He then talks about his time in the US Air Force and what made him decide to join the Russian military in the first place. Puello-Mota also criticized the US mainstream media for its coverage of the war in Ukraine.

We also reached out to the Rhode Island Attorney General's Office, who told us they were aware of the video but could not comment at this time because the investigation into his whereabouts is ongoing.

Puello-Mota is also accused of obstruction of justice and forgery and counterfeiting. He has pleaded not guilty.

We will continue to monitor developments.

Copyright 2024. Western Mass News (WGGB/WSHM). All rights reserved.