Rhode Island

Former Holyoke councilor fled country

Published

2 years ago

February 28, 2024

Days before the scheduled start of his trial in Rhode Island, prosecutors say former Holyoke City Councilor Wilmer Puello-Mota boarded an international flight bound for Turkey and fled the country.

Puello-Mota, 28, with a last known address on Main Street in Holyoke, was scheduled to face trial on Jan. 5 but requested an extension until Jan. 9. He was charged with possession of child pornography, obstruction of the judicial system, forgery and counterfeiting.

On Jan. 7, Puello-Mota boarded Turkish Airlines Flight 8 from Dulles International Airport in Washington, bound for Istanbul, the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office said in a bail violation filing.

“His whereabouts from that location are unknown,” Special Assistant Attorney General John C. Malloy wrote in that document. “The Defendant did not have permission from this Court to travel.”

If his trial had gone off as scheduled and if he had been convicted, Puello-Mota could have received up to five years in prison.

The Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office shared the bail violation form, along with a copy of a supporting document prepared by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection after a reporter shared a link to a Facebook page purportedly belonging to Puello-Mota.

That Facebook page, which has posts dating back to 2015, was changed to indicate that Puello-Mota now lives in Moscow. The page features a photo of Red Square at the Kremlin and says, in the Cyrillic alphabet, that Puello-Mota’s current place of employment is the Russian Ministry of Defense.

Puello-Mota is a former member of the 104th Fighter Wing of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, who served as a technical sergeant in the base security force at Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield

The Attorney General’s office in Rhode Island declined further comment.

The office of Puello-Mota’s Rhode Island attorney, John M. Cicilline, also declined comment and requested that a reporter never call them again.

Calls and texts to Puello-Mota’s cellphone, which he used as recently as a few months ago, were unreturned. And the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C., did not return phone calls seeking comment.

Documents provided by Rhode Island prosecutors say Puello-Mota presented a passport for travel.

After he failed to appear at a disposition hearing in early January, Rhode Island authorities said the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force was searching for him.

The whole criminal case against Puello-Mota stemmed from a May 2020 arrest at a hotel in Warwick, Rhode Island, after he called police to report a stolen firearm.

When they arrived, police investigating his report discovered Puello-Mota was at the hotel to meet a 17-year-old girl he’d met online. The girl told police Puello-Mota was her “sugar daddy.”

Police searched his cell phone and found nude photos and videos of the girl in a trash folder. They charged him with possession of child pornography.

During the initial investigation, the girl told police Puello-Mota had given her money. Police found evidence of payments made by Puello-Mota to the girl through the app Venmo. Puello-Mota told police at that time that he believed the girl was 22 and he had just learned she was 17.

Puello-Mota was also accused of charges of obstruction of the judicial system, forgery and counterfeiting. Prosecutors say he forged documents and impersonated his commander while a member of the 104th in an attempt to get a favorable disposition on the child porn charges.

Massachusetts State Police arrested him on May 11, 2022, at the entrance of Barnes.

He was a Holyoke Ward 2 councilor until the end of 2023 after he did not run for reelection. His fellow councilors tried to expel him, but he sued and regained the seat.

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Rhode Island

Rhode Island, Massachusetts governors respond to new USDA directive on SNAP benefits

Published

16 hours ago

November 9, 2025

Press Room

Rhode Island, Massachusetts governors respond to new USDA directive on SNAP benefits

(WJAR) — Rhode Island and Massachusetts governors said residents’ EBT cards will remain active amid new directive on SNAP benefits.

The Trump administration’s new guidance follows a Supreme Court stay.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said pending any new direction from the Food and Nutrition Service, states should not issue full November benefits and should only load the partial 35% of the money.

A store displays a poster indicating it accepts SNAP benefits. (WJAR)

This comes after states such as Rhode Island and Massachusetts filled SNAP recipients’ EBT cards with the entire months’ worth of SNAP benefits on Saturday, following a previous court order and USDA’s issuance.

USDA now said states that have sent full SNAP payments need to “immediately undo any steps.”

“To the extent States sent full SNAP payment files for November 2025, this was unauthorized,” the new USDA directive said. “Failure to comply with this memorandum may result in USDA taking various actions, including cancellation of the Federal share of State administrative costs and holding States liable for any overissuances that result from the noncompliance.”

On Sunday, Gov. Dan McKee said Rhode Island recipients’ EBT cards will remain active, and that his team has reached out to the Food and Nutrition Service related to the latest update.

“I am disgusted by the chaos and hardship that President Trump and his Administration continue to create across the country. While states have been forced to navigate a series of conflicting and erratic directives around SNAP benefits, Rhode Islanders, and all Americans, have been anxious, confused—and hungry,” McKee said in a statement.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said residents should continue to spend funds on their EBT cards.

“If President Trump wants to penalize states for preventing Americans from going hungry, we will see him in court,” she said. “These funds were processed in accordance with guidance we received from the Trump Administration and a lower court order, and they were processed before the Supreme Court order on Friday night. We will continue to work with Attorney General Campbell to make sure everyone gets the full benefits they are owed.”

McKee said on Saturday that so far, 79,000 in-state recipients have received their benefits and contingency plans are in place if future funds aren’t released.

Meanwhile, 100% of Massachusetts beneficiaries have received their November allotment.

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Rhode Island

Rhode Island FC advances to conference final after 2-0 victory over North Carolina

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2025

Press Room

Rhode Island FC advances to conference final after 2-0 victory over North Carolina

Rhode Island FC is moving on in the USL Championship playoffs.

Albert Dikwa found the net twice late in Saturday’s match at North Carolina FC to lift the Ocean State club to a 2-0 victory at First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C. The victory means, for the second straight season, RIFC will be playing in the Eastern Conference Final with a chance to play for the league title.

North Carolina has had RIFC’s number in the previous two meetings at First Horizon Soccer Stadium, earning shutout wins in both matches. That changed on Friday night, thanks to Dikwa’s goals.

The first score, in the 81st minute, came on a header from the left side of the six-yard box that found the bottom left corner. Noah Fuson got the assist. The second score came in the 90th minute when Dikwa’s right-footed blast from more than 35 yards out found the bottom right corner of the net, following a fast break.

With the win, Rhode Island will advance to the conference final set for next week (Date/time TBD), against the winner of Saturday’s semifinal matchup between Detroit FC and the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC.

Earlier this week, news broke that North Carolina FC will not field a team in the UFL Championship next season. First reported by The Athletic, North Carolina’s players were informed of the news as the club prepared for their playoff game against Rhode Island. All players under contract will be released after the season and can sign elsewhere. Those with guaranteed deals will receive about two months’ salary, per the report.

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Rhode Island

Pick 6 high school football playoffs return to Rhode Island | ABC6

Published

2 days ago

November 8, 2025

Press Room

Pick 6 high school football playoffs return to Rhode Island | ABC6

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — High school football playoffs have returned to Rhode Island, and ABC6 has a full slate of action from all four divisions in the Ocean State.

Scores from featured games are listed below: