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A former Air National Guardsman, Wilmer Puello-Mota, 28, has reportedly fought alongside the Russian military in Ukraine while awaiting criminal charges in the United States.

Puello-Mota, previously a technical sergeant with the Massachusetts Air National Guard, fled the US to escape criminal charges related to possession of child pornography. According to prosecutors, in 2020, he was accused of soliciting nude photos from a teenager in Rhode Island, all while serving as a city councilman in Holyoke, Massachusetts. Below: Video released by Russian media shows Puello-Mota talking about his time fighting in Ukraine.

Following the allegations against him, Puello-Mota was released from the National Guard in October 2022. The turn of events led Puello-Mota to Istanbul, Turkey, where he continued his journey to Russia, ultimately avoiding a scheduled court appearance. Social media posts and a Telegram video claim he volunteered for the Russian army, fighting alongside Russian forces against Ukraine. While yet to be verified, these claims are treated as substantial evidence of his defection and are being investigated by state, federal, and military officials.

In a statement, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said, “The state has received photos and videos purporting to be the defendant in Russia and Ukraine, where he is alleged to have joined the Russian military. 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.”