Sandy Hook truther gets ultimatum

Matthew Mills, 32, of Brooklyn, N.Y., appears before Superior Court Judge William Holden in Bridgeport Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2015, on a charge of interfering with police and second-degree breach of peace for allegedly trying to disrupt the annual charity race in honor of murdered Sandy Hook teacher Victoria Soto. less Matthew Mills, 32, of Brooklyn, N.Y., appears before Superior Court Judge William Holden in Bridgeport Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2015, on a charge of interfering with police and second-degree breach of peace for ... more Photo: Autumn Driscoll/file Photo / Hearst Connecticut Media Photo: Autumn Driscoll/file Photo / Hearst Connecticut Media Image 1 of / 9 Caption Close Sandy Hook truther gets ultimatum 1 / 9 Back to Gallery

BRIDGEPORT — It’s pay or play time for Sandy Hook “truther” Matthew Mills.

Although Mills, who claims the massacre of children and teachers in Newtown never took place and hero teacher Victoria Soto didn’t exist, skipped his court date Friday, his lawyer was given a stern ultimatum.

Either Mills accepts the state’s plea offer or goes to trial when the case is next back in court April 18.

Assistant State’s Attorney Craig Nowak has offered Mills, who was charged with interfering with police and breach of peace after he crashed a charity run named for Victoria Soto, a one-year suspended sentence with two years’ probation. Mills would also be ordered to stay away from the Soto family.

Mills’ lawyer, James Hardy, was beginning to argue that five weeks wasn’t enough time for Mills to make that decision when he looked at the perturbed expression on Superior Court Judge Maureen Dennis’ face. He quickly changed his mind and agreed to the deadline.

“Mr. Mills has been extended an offer by the state and he is going to take the time to consider that offer,” Hardy said later. “He still maintains he was simply exercising his constitutional rights, but at this point it may be better to put this all behind him.”

Hardy told the judge that his client, who now lives in southern New Jersey, didn’t realize he had to be in court Friday.

Jillian Soto, Victoria’s younger sister, who sat in court for nearly an hour waiting for the case to be called, was clearly frustrated that Mills had not shown up.

“We’ll see what happens on the 18th,” she said as she left the courtroom.

Victoria Soto, of Stratford, has been hailed as a hero after police said she was killed while protecting her first-grade students from gunman Adam Lanza at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December 2012.

Hundreds were attending the third annual race in Stratford to raise money for educational scholarships in Soto’s name Nov. 7 when police said Mills approached Jillian Soto.

They said Mills shoved a photograph in the younger Soto’s face and began angrily charging that not only did the Sandy Hook tragedy not take place, but that Victoria Soto never existed.

Police said the photo was of the Soto family, including Victoria Soto, sitting on a seawall in Stratford.

Jillian Soto became very upset at Mills’ actions and repeatedly asked him to leave her alone, but police said he persisted until officers arrived on the scene.

He then ran off and was captured following a short foot chase with officers on Main Street.