The trooper first said he had been shot in the leg by a “Black or dark-skinned male” in a balaclava, before a lengthy investigation discovered how he “wasted hundreds of hours of law enforcement manpower, deeply cost taxpayers in Nassau County, and betrayed the public’s trust of those in uniform.”
A New York State Trooper found himself on the other side of the law — and behind bars — after he shot himself in the leg and blamed it on someone else, all in what the DA says was a move to impress an ex-girlfriend and look like a “hero.”
This week, Thomas J. Mascia, 28, was sentenced to six months in jail and five years probation after pleading guilty back in May to tampering with physical evidence, falsely reporting an incident in the third degree, and official misconduct. He was also ordered to undergo mental health treatment and pay $289,511 in restitution.
His sentence comes after Mascia resigned from the New York State Police on January 24, 2025.
The investigation into Mascia began on October 30, 2024, when, around 11:42pm, the ex-trooper claimed he was patrolling the Southern State Parkway and saw a disabled vehicle on the center median. Per a press release from the Nassau County District Attorney, Mascia said a “Black or dark-skinned male wearing a balaclava mask covering his head” was behind the wheel of the vehicle, described as a black Dodge Charger with temporary plates, heavily tinted windows and a tinted plate cover.
Mascia allegedly claimed that as he approached the vehicle, the driver “opened fire, and he heard several loud pops and was struck in the leg,” said the DA. Resources from the NYSP, Nassau County Police Department, New York City Police Department, New Jersey State Police and Newark Police Department all sprung to action to try and find the shooter, while Mascia was treated for a gunshot wound.
The driver, however, was never found … because he didn’t exist.
While authorities found .22 caliber shell casings at the scene, no projectiles were found and no tire marks were ever located, said prosectors. There was no video evidence, eyewitnesses, no license plates matching the descriptions given by the trooper, while his own movements that evening told a different account of what happened.
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“After an extensive investigation by the New York State Police and NCDA, evidence was uncovered that the defendant had shot himself in the leg and transmitted a false report,” said the DA. “The evidence showed that the defendant drove to his post on the Southern State Parkway and placed the .22 caliber shell casings on the ground to stage the scene of the alleged shooting. Records and data from his patrol car showed that Mascia drove to his home, Hempstead Lake State Park, and the scene on the parkway over the course of several hours that evening.”
Authorities concluded that “after shooting himself, the defendant returned to the parkway where he previously dropped the shell casings and called in the false report about shots being fired.” The DA said the .22 caliber rifle used was later found at Mascia’s family home.
“Thomas Mascia’s actions were as meticulously calculated as they were disgraceful,” said DA Anne T. Donnelly in a statement. “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.”
“My sincere thanks go out to the New York State Police, whose instincts and swift investigative work quickly uncovered the truth of Mascia’s lies and held him accountable,” Donnelly added. “I want this case to be a reminder that serving the public in law enforcement is an enormous privilege. It’s one that should never be taken lightly. No one is above the law, and I am pleased to say that justice was served because the system worked.”
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As for why he did it, Donnelly, per CBS News, said “there was an ex-girlfriend he was trying to impress and we believe he wanted to the public to see him as a hero.”
In addition to Mascia himself, both of his parents — dad Thomas and mother Dorothy — were charged with possessing an illegal firearm found in their bedroom when authorities searched the family home. Thomas pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of criminal possession of a firearm and was sentenced to five years’ probation this week, while Dorothy pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a firearm and sentenced to a conditional discharge.
In an emailed statement to CBS, Mascia’s attorney said the ex-trooper is “mortified at his behavior.”
“He regrets it, obviously. It was a mistake. He regrets it and he will live with it the rest of his life,” he added. “Why did this occur? It doesn’t just come out of the blue. It occurs because it was a result of many years of mental health issues that were never treated.”
The attorney also told AP that his client is “happy to finally get on with his life.”
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