MINEOLA, N.Y. – A former New York State Trooper who shot himself in the leg and falsely claimed he was attacked by a motorist during a traffic stop was sentenced to six months in jail and five years’ probation, prosecutors said.
Thomas J. Mascia, 28, pleaded guilty in May to tampering with physical evidence, falsely reporting an incident, and official misconduct.
He was sentenced this week before Judge Robert Bogle in Nassau County Court and ordered to pay a civil judgment of $289,511 and undergo mandatory mental health treatment.
Key Points
- Former trooper Thomas Mascia was sentenced to six months in jail and five years’ probation.
- Mascia shot himself and fabricated a story about being ambushed by a motorist in 2024.
- His parents were also convicted on unrelated firearm possession charges.
False shooting report triggered massive police response
Prosecutors said the hoax began late on October 30, 2024, when Mascia radioed that he had been shot by a motorist along the westbound Southern State Parkway near Exit 17. He described the supposed assailant as a dark-skinned man driving a black Dodge Charger with tinted windows and a temporary New Jersey plate.
Law enforcement agencies from Nassau, New York City, and New Jersey quickly mobilized, launching a multistate search for the nonexistent shooter as Mascia was taken to Nassau University Medical Center with a gunshot wound to his leg.
Investigation revealed self-inflicted wound
A joint investigation by the New York State Police and the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office revealed that Mascia had staged the entire scene. Evidence showed he drove to the area, scattered .22 caliber shell casings, and later shot himself with a rifle that investigators later recovered at his family’s home in a search on November 2, 2024.
No bullets, tire tracks, or surveillance footage corroborated Mascia’s account, and digital records from his patrol vehicle showed he traveled between his home, Hempstead Lake State Park, and the parkway multiple times that evening.
District attorney condemns “calculated and disgraceful” act
District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly said Mascia’s actions wasted “hundreds of hours of law enforcement manpower” and eroded public trust in police. “No one is above the law, and I am pleased to say that justice was served because the system worked,” Donnelly said.
Parents also sentenced on weapons charges
During the search of the family’s residence, investigators found an illegal firearm at the foot of Thomas and Dorothy Mascia’s bed. Both parents later pleaded guilty to weapon possession charges.
Thomas A. Mascia was sentenced to five years’ probation, while Dorothy Mascia received a conditional discharge.
Authorities said the case underscores the seriousness of false police reporting and the importance of accountability within law enforcement ranks.