The former Massachusetts City Councilman who fled the country earlier this year in lieu of standing trial on child pornography charges is now fighting for Russia in its war with Ukraine.
Former Holyoke official Wilmer Pueromota, who was also a member of the Massachusetts National Guard, appeared to be inside a Russian enlistment center where he had registered to participate in the war effort on behalf of the Kremlin, according to reports newly released last week. The video has been revealed.
The fugitive was photographed at his enlistment site with a portrait of Russian President Vladimir Putin in the background. According to the Guardian.
“Americans signed military contracts with Patriots” [center] in Khanty-Mansiysk,” the telegram message said in a video published by the region’s official Telegram channel, the news agency said.
Puero Mota, 28, allegedly said he wanted to become a Russian citizen. Ugra-TV interview, of The Daily Beast reported.
The former politician’s legal turmoil began in 2020 after authorities discovered naked photos of a 17-year-old girl on his cell phone. The Boston Globe reported. The victim was charged with child pornography despite her attempts to claim she thought she was 22 at the time.
He also faces charges of obstruction of justice and forgery and forgery for allegedly submitting false documents to the Massachusetts Air National Guard in an attempt to deceive his commanding officer in response to child pornography charges, the Globe reported.
The Holyoke City Council tried to oust him from the governing body, but a lawsuit filed by Puelomota allowed him to keep his seat until his term expires in December 2023, the paper said.
Prosecutors said he left the country for Turkey ahead of his impending trial date in January.
The Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office said there is a growing possibility that Puelomota was in Russia last week.
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha wrote, “The State received photos and videos purporting to be of the defendant in Russia and Ukraine, where he allegedly joined the Russian military.” Military.com reported, citing court documents.
“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 they are false, the defendant may have no knowledge of his whereabouts. It’s a clever trick to hide it.”
His former colleagues believe the man seen in the recent video is actually Puelo Mota.
“There’s Will in there. He looks like Will. He looks just like Will,” Holyoke City Councilman David Bartley told the Globe. “He looks fine and healthy. It’s an amazing turn of events.”
Burgos City Councilor Juan Anderson added: “I’m 100% sure.”
Footage also showed Mr Pueromota volunteering to fight for Moscow when Russian forces took control of the Ukrainian town of Avdiivka in February, the Guardian reported.
