National Guard Member Defects to Russia

Former Holyoke City Councilor Wilmer Puello-Mota has reportedly defected to Russia and is now living in Moscow, where he works for the Russian Defense Ministry, according to his Facebook profile.

The Facebook page of "Will Puello," now features a photo of the Kremlin in the Russian capital and a picture of Puello-Mota in full military gear while operating a drone.

The 28-year-old represented Holyoke's District 2 when he was arrested in September 2020 in Warwick, Rhode Island, and charged with possession of child pornography. The 17-year-old victim said that Puello-Mota had sent her money via Venmo for sexually explicit photos though he knew she was underage.

The former city councilor was scheduled to appear in court on January 9, 2024, but two days earlier, he boarded a flight to Istanbul, Turkey. In a March court filing, the Rhode Island Attorney General acknowledged that Puello Mota had either fled the country and joined the Russian military or invented the story to evade the case against him.

In April 2024, Russian media and milbloggers shared photos and videos allegedly showing Puello-Mota signing a contract with the Russian defense ministry and claiming the American took part in the Russian takeover of Avdiivka in Eastern Ukraine.

This is a breaking news story and will be later updated.

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