A former New York state trooper will spend six months in jail after staging his own shooting on duty.
Thomas J. Mascia, 28, pleaded guilty in May to a felony charge of tampering with physical evidence, as well as two misdemeanors: falsely reporting an incident and official misconduct, the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office said in an Oct. 22 press release.
Mascia Claimed He was Shot by a ‘Black or Dark-Skinned’ Man During a Traffic Stop
Prosecutors said Mascia reported that he was shot in the leg during a parkway traffic stop by a “Black or dark-skinned” male driver wearing a balaclava mask on Oct. 30, 2024. Authorities recovered .22-caliber shell casings at the scene and he was taken to the hospital for treatment. Police also put out an alert for the suspect’s Dodge Charger.
However, an investigation revealed that Mascia had actually staged the shooting. Prosecutors said he placed .22 caliber shell casings at his post on the Southern State Parkway, traveled to Hempstead Lake Park and shot himself before heading back to the scene to report the shooting. The rifle was recovered during a search of his family home on Nov. 2, 2024.
Investigation Found No Video Evidence, Eyewitnesses or License Plates to Support Mascia’s Claim
“An investigation into the scene revealed no video evidence, eyewitnesses, or license plates matching the description provided by the former trooper,” the release states. Prosecutors added that no projectiles were found, and no tire marks were located at the scene.
In the press release, Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly called Mascia’s actions “as meticulously calculated as they were disgraceful.”
“His lies wasted hundreds of hours of law enforcement manpower, deeply cost taxpayers in Nassau County, and betrayed the public’s trust of those in uniform,” she added.
Mascia Shot Himself to Appear as a ‘Hero’ to an ‘Ex-Girlfriend He was Trying to Impress’
The DA said she believes Mascia shot himself so the public could “see him as a hero,” adding that there was an “ex-girlfriend he was trying to impress.”
Mascia was also sentenced to five years probation, ordered to pay $289,511 in restitution, and required to undergo mental health treatment, per the release.
His father, Thomas A. Mascia, and mother, Dorothy Mascia, were also charged with possessing an illegal firearm, which was found during the search of the family home, prosecutors said.
The father pleaded guilty to a felony weapons charge and sentenced to five years’ probation. The mother was sentenced to conditional discharge after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor weapons charge, per the release.
