A former New York State trooper was sentenced to six months in jail for fabricating a story about being shot by a Black motorist after initiating a traffic stop along the Southern State Parkway in October 2024.
On October 30, 2024, at approximately 11:42 p.m., near exit 17 on the westbound side of the Southern State Parkway, Thomas J. Mascia, a former New York State trooper, said he was patrolling and saw a disabled vehicle on the center median. He described the vehicle as a black four-door Dodge Charger with a temporary New Jersey license plate and claimed the car had heavily tinted windows and a tinted plate cover.
Mascia claimed that the driver was a Black or dark-skinned male wearing a balaclava mask covering his head, only exposing his eyes. He later said that after taking a few steps, the motorist opened fire, and he heard several loud pops and was struck in the leg.
The New York State Police, Nassau County Police Department, New York City Police Department, New Jersey State Police and Newark Police Department all mobilized to track down the shooter as Mascia was transported to Nassau University Medical Center for treatment for the gunshot wound. Nine .22 caliber shell casings were recovered from the scene, and an all-points bulletin was ordered for the Dodge Charger.
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. The evidence showed that Mascia 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. No projectiles were ever found at the scene, and no tire marks were located.
An investigation into the scene revealed no video evidence, eyewitnesses, or license plates matching the description provided by the former trooper.
The .22 caliber rifle that Mascia used to shoot himself was later recovered during a search warrant executed at his family home on November 2, 2024. 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.
Thomas A. Mascia, the defendant’s father, and Dorothy Mascia, the defendant’s mother, were also charged with possessing an illegal firearm that was found at the foot of their bed during the November 2, 2024, search.
Thomas J. Mascia resigned from the New York State Police on January 24, 2025. Three days later, he and his parents were arrested by the New York State Police on January 27, 2025.
On May 21, 2025, Thomas A. Mascia pleaded guilty on May 21, 2025, before Judge Robert Bogle to one count of Criminal Possession of a Firearm (a Class E felony). He was sentenced to five years’ probation on October 22, 2025.
Dorothy Mascia pleaded guilty on May 21, 2025, before Bogle to Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree (a Class A misdemeanor). She was sentenced to a Conditional Discharge on October 22, 2025.
Thomas J. Mascia was sentenced on October 22 to six months in jail and five years’ probation. As a condition of his probation, Mascia will have to undergo mental health treatment. A civil judgement will also be ordered in the amount of $289,511.
“Thomas Mascia’s actions were 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,” said Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly. “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. 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.”