New video of former Holyoke city councilor being interviewed by Russian military

HOLYOKE, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) — A new video has surfaced this week that is making national headlines.

It appears to show 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 the Western Mass News that he had fled the country a few days before the trial on 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.

In a glimpse of the latest clip posted and shared on social media, he is seen saying, “I'm Will. I'm from Massachusetts,” and then adding, “I was a city councilor for two years.”

The video goes on to show 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 sign.

He then talks about his time in the US Air Force and what motivated him to join the Russian military in the first place.

Puello-Mota also criticizes the US mainstream media for its coverage of the war in Ukraine.

We have reached out to the Rhode Island Attorney General's Office, who told us they are aware of the video, but declined to comment at this time because the investigation into his whereabouts is ongoing.

Puello-Mota still faces charges of obstruction of justice, forgery and counterfeiting.

He has pleaded not guilty.

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