Rhode Island AG acknowledges Wilmer Puello-Mota is evading child pornography case

WARWICK, RI (WWLP) – In a recent court filing, the Rhode Island Attorney General has acknowledged that former Holyoke City Councilor Wilmer Puello-Mota has allegedly fled the country and joined the Russian military or has created this story to hide his whereabouts.

According to court documents, the state is asking to continue parts of the trial after it is alleged that Puello-Mota has fled the area and was last known to be in Istanbul, Türkiye. They say they have received photos and videos of Puello-Mota in Russia and Ukraine.

A video circulating social media features a person many people believe is former Puello-Mota. The video allegedly depicts a person planting a U.S. flag in a Ukrainian city in support of Russia.

In the motion filed on Monday, the Office of the Attorney General stated, “While the State cannot verify the authenticity of the videos and photographs, if they are accurate the Defendant is well beyond the jurisdiction of this Court and, if false, the Defendant is engaged in an elaborate ruse to conceal his whereabouts.”

The face in the video is blurred, however people have said they recognize his voice. The description of the video on social media states that “This is allegedly a video of an unknown American who is fighting on the Russian side.” In the video, the person speaks to his time in the military, specifically Afghanistan.

Puello-Mota was scheduled to appear in a Rhode Island court on January 5, 2024 but requested an extension to January 9, 2024. Puello-Mota the left the country from Dulles International Airport bound for Istanbul, Turkey on January 7, 2024.

A Facebook page for Will Puello shows a photo of the Kremlin in Moscow, and information stating he lives in Moscow, Russia and works at ‘Министерство обороны Российской Федерации,’ which translates to Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

The state is now looking to move forward in the case by filing a motion to take testimony of the minor witness. The state believes her testimony is crucial to the case and would like to have her testify now before she may become unavailable when the trial proceeds in the unknown future.

Puello-Mota was arrested on September 2, 2020, for possession of child pornography. The 17-year-old victim told police Puello-Mota allegedly Venmoed her money for sexually explicit photos when he knew she was underage.

Additionally, he was wanted on an arrest warrant issued by the Rhode Island Attorney General’s office for Forgery and Counterfeiting, and Obstruction of the Judicial System, charging him with forging email documents in an effort to deceive his commanding officers at Barnes Air National Guard Base and Rhode Island authorities. Part of the consideration for prosecutors in the child pornography case included if his military chain of command was aware of the charges and supported his continued service. Police said Puello-Mota gave a fake supervisor letter.

Puello-Mota had been Holyoke’s Ward 2 councilor and a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard.