Exterior, Stamford Courthouse, Sept. 20, 2019.
Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut MediaSTAMFORD — On Monday, a Superior Court judge lowered the bond on a New York man accused of sexually assaulting a family member under the age of 12 over the course of several years.
Robert Mills, 75, has been held in custody at the Bridgeport Correctional Center on $250,000 bond since his arrest in November 2021 in Wilton on charges of first-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor.
During a disposition hearing Monday in state Superior Court in Stamford, attorney John Gulash said that Mills, his client, has been suffering from “very, very significant” medical issues during his nearly 10 months in prison.
Gulash argued that Mills was in need of medical assistance beyond what was being provided by the Department of Corrections, but he could not afford to post the $250,000 bond placed on him. Instead, Gulash asked that Judge John Blawie consider reducing the bond to $100,000, an amount his client might be able to post.
Mills, he said, was “not a flight risk” and would agree to GPS monitoring or house arrest restrictions in the event he did make bail.
Assistant State’s Attorney Margaret Moscati objected to any reduction of the bond, based on the severity of the accusations against him.
“While I do sympathize with the defendant and his current medical health issues, I do think the conduct here is far too serious,” Moscati said.
Mills is accused of sexually assaulting a young family member over the course of several years, when the child was between the ages of 5 and 10 years old, according to Moscati.
In addition to this victim, Moscati said two other people have also alleged incidents of sexual abuse dating back as far as 1983.
“Based on the history and the fact that it sounds like he’s been abusing children, which by the way is one of our most vulnerable populations, dating back to the 1980s, I do think that the bond Your Honor set at $250,000 is appropriate,” Moscati said.
Despite Moscati’s objections, Blawie ultimately lowered the bond, although not as far as requested by Mills' lawyer, to $200,000.
“I’m basing this on his health issues and the fact that he is 75 with no record. Obviously, the court is not minimizing the seriousness of the allegations but I have to respect the presumption of innocence,” Blawie said.
If Mills posts bond, Blawie ordered that he undergo GPS monitoring and he will not be allowed to leave Connecticut or New York without permission. He will also be ordered to stay away from the victim and the victim’s parents.
As of Monday afternoon, Mills had not yet posted bond.