A U.S. Air Force veteran who fled a charge of possessing sexually explicit images of a child told his lawyer he joined Russia’s army, and video appears to show him signing documents in a military enlistment office in Siberia.
Wilmer Puello-Mota, a former elected official in Holyoke, Massachusetts, was expected to enter a guilty plea in Rhode Island in early January, but did not show up to court, according to prosecutors. Last week, video surfaced that appears to show the 28-year-old in Russia and expressing support for the country’s war against Ukraine — footage that could be used to promote Moscow’s narrative of the conflict.
His lawyer, John M. Cicilline, told The Boston Globe that he called Puello-Mota on Jan. 8, the day before he was expected to plead guilty. According to prosecutors, he boarded a flight from Washington, D.C., to Istanbul, Turkey, a day earlier.
“He said, ‘I joined the Russian army,’ or something like that,” Cicilline told the Globe. “I thought he was joking.”
Cicilline said Puello-Mota wanted a career in politics and thought the criminal case had ruined his life.
“I’m sure he joined the Russian army because he didn’t want to register as a sex offender,” Cicilline said.
This is a story going around in the local media. It’s so hilarious in a sad way.
Fact is that most people would rather live in Russian and even join their military than be a registrant pariah in the USA for the rest of their lives.
An 18 month prison sentence for having nude photos of a 17 year old girl on his phone? 😲 Yet the age of consent is 16 in Rhode Island, so it would of been perfectly legal for him to have a sexual relationship with that same young woman. That makes lesser sense than him fleeing to Russia to join Putin’s army
Wait…I’m confused….. He contacted police to report a stolen firearm. How did he end allowing police to search his cell phone?? 🤔🤷🏻♂️
Was he fleeing the Punishment this conviction would have sentenced him to, or the “Not punishment” of being a [Person Forced to Register]?
I had an opportunity to escape offered to me once. Not just “Run away” to whatever… escape to something else. A man I have mentioned her before that I met in a “Therapy Group”, a professional Identify thief, who I believe was framed for CP. Turns out the man of 1,000 identities had a way slip away, and wanted to take me with him to…get back to work. Turns out he could easily become the man of a 1,001 identities… with no need for the extra one…
Obviously, I said no…. and have never spent a single moment of the last 9 years since he departed regrating that choice, not 1 ever, and never will. 😶
Remember, I only met him because he got caught….not for everything he did, but enough that I got to met him. If he gets caught a 2nd time… they get to add an FTR on top. ….oh and remember, he got caught for ID theft, then after they took his computers away to the Bat Cave for analysis… then and only then did they find, other stuff. I add this just in case anyone just had something that seems like a great idea.
The man in this story is willing to join the Russian Army and maybe get killed in Ukraine to avoid a CP charge, and that says NOTHING to America about this? The guy I was talking about was only leaving the country to escape the Registry. He already did the court thing, was on probation for everything… he was just waiting out the probation before he set sail…. because that way nobody is looking for him until they notice an FTR.
Sure is lucky they found that CP on his computers back at the Bat Cave….only way to keep a handle on the man of a 1,000 identities? I wonder how many other Internet Crimes people that got just as lucky with?
Hold on I’m lost, he called the police to report a stolen gun and somehow they started going through his phone, something ain’t right Law enforcement isn’t telling the whole story here.
This guy had to already be under some type of Angel watch investigation and once gaining access inside of his home they decided to further their investigation and seized his electronic devices including his phone.
Honestly, this guy was smart and very lucky to get away, I would rather be a soldier in Putin‘s army then be labeled in America.
When dying on the battlefield is more preferable to our “justice” system.
Did the 17 year old take naked pictures of herself for her partner or herself? How many teens that are curious about their sexuality experiment with cell phones or in the flesh? Adults may not like teens exploring their raging hormones and perhaps should have conversations with them.
He should have flown to Germany and hooked up with River Whitsett’s team, despite my constant clowning him. Our fugitive friend (not River but the R.I. guy) might’ve had a case for personal protection since his offense would probably not be illegal in Germany due to the “upper age” of the girl who likely consented to those images. Germany considers those over 14 as “juveniles,” not children. Now their courts would need to consider whether or not 18 months is cruel, but that’s what the plea was. Wilmer was probably facing more time than that. I think Germany would have been safer than Siberia, and potentially ending up dead fighting for Russia. …
He chose to fight for a fascist country rather than face his punishment as those of here did. He is a POS who would rather help invade a formerly peaceful country and presumably participate in the r@pe and murder of innocent civilians in Ukraine so, though this may be an unpopular opinion, I hope that this dirt-bag traitor dies in agonizing pain.
I rather fight the domestic enemies here at home either in Washington, Annapolis, or any other state capital across these fruited plains and give them a huge amber grain of a kick in their rump roast.
How did he not get his passport revoked. When I was charged I had to turn mine in. I guess different jurisdictions have different requirements. Actually I’m glad I didn’t have mine. I might have fled, too. As it is I now have only 300 days to go. This guy was a chicken. Hope he suffers the fate he deserves for being a traitor.
After reading an article from a New Hampshire media source, it gets even better once one unravels all the drama with this character. We know about him reporting the gun, and the nude pics found on his phone. Allegedly the girl claims he sent her money for those pics. After he was charged, his lawyers & the DA almost worked out a deal where the charges were amended to something that didn’t require registration. But Puello-Mota first had to come clean with his superiors in the Massachusetts National Guard, and that they still wanted him to continue his service. But instead of reporting his offense to his commander, Puello-Mota forged a memo with the commander’s signature, and sent it to the prosecutor. When he called the Guard to verify the memo, Puello-Mota had someone pose as the commander to deceive the prosecutor. But it was a bad ideal, because Puello-Moto got caught, charged, and his bail got revoked before he was extradited to R.I. to serve 90 days for lying. Afterwards, he returned to Mass to resume his duties on the city council, but they had other plans to kick him out. When they did, he later reclaimed his seat after he filed a lawsuit that resulted with a judge ruling in Puello-Mota’s favor by saying only convictions could force someone to give up their seat. Surprisingly, his constituents still liked him and he was unopposed in the following election, but he faced the pressure of his upcoming trial, so he didn’t seek re-election.
In the social video of him at the Russian Army enlistment center, Puello-Mota says he’s lucky to be part of the International Brigade, they made him feel welcome, they did their job, and he would do it over again with them. Puello-Mota mentions the name of the Ukrainian town that was recently retaken by Russians, so that’s “the job” he’s referring to. It seems this man was already put into combat before he enlisted in the army. Because after overtaking that town, another video shows a blurred out person planting an American flag on Ukrainian soil. But of course it’s Puella-Mota with his cocky voice saying this is “a sign of friendship” for the things “people are enduring here.” So obviously this guy is being kept alive & being used for propaganda purposes. So for those who want him dead in the trenches, Putin’s not going to place this character there until his usefulness runs out. You know the ole saying about a useful fool.
“Always seek justice, but love only mercy. To love justice and hate mercy is but a doorway to more injustice.”