Former NYS trooper who shot himself on Long Island and lied about it sentenced to 6 months in plea deal
A former New York state trooper who shot himself on Long Island and then lied about it was sentenced Wednesday to six months in prison and five years probation as part of a plea deal.
Thomas Mascia pleaded guilty over the summer to charges of falsely reporting an incident, tampering with physical evidence and official misconduct.
As part of his plea deal, he was also ordered to pay $289,511 in restitution for the manhunt for the phantom shooter, and mental health treatment. He originally faced up to four years in prison.
What Trooper Mascia claimed happened
Mascia, of West Hempstead, said he was shot in the leg last October while checking on a disabled vehicle along the Southern State Parkway.
His claims prompted a manhunt for the vehicle and suspect that he described as "dark skinned," but investigators discovered Mascia had actually shot himself.
Prosecutors said he staged the whole thing -- dropping shell casings on the parkway, driving to Hempstead Lake Park where he shot himself, and then returning to report the shooting.
"He's 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," attorney Jeffrey Lichtman said. "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."
Mascia's parents, Dorothy and Thomas Sr. -- a former NYPD officer convicted in a 1990s cocaine ring -- were also charged with criminal possession of a firearm in the case. Prosecutors said a search of the home they shared with their son uncovered an illegal assault-style gun and $80,000 in cash.
Investigators have suggested Mascia was looking for attention or sympathy.
"There was an ex-girlfriend he was trying to impress and we believe he wanted to the public to see him as a hero," Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly said.
CBS News New York learned Mascia also claimed he was injured by a hit-and-run driver in 2022, but that story was unsubstantiated.
