Disgraced Trooper Acquitted in Fake Shooting Case

A state trooper who staged his own shooting was acquitted in a Nassau County court on Wednesday, but his parents avoided jail time for their involvement in a different shooting incident.

Thomas Mascia, 27, struck a deal with his girlfriend in May after confessing that he had fabricated a story about being shot by an unknown driver on October 30, 2024, and then attempted to take his own life.

During the sentencing, Judge Robert Bogle criticized Mascia for betraying his oath. “To say we don’t meet these standards is a gross understatement,” he remarked. Bogle expressed hope that Mascia would reflect on his actions while serving time.

“At first, everyone was rooting for you,” the judge continued. “But you led us into fraud and reckless behavior,” referring to the investigation as a “wild goose chase.”

Prosecutors claimed that Mascia’s actions were a desperate bid for sympathy from fellow officers and to impress an unidentified romantic interest. Police even went as far as scattering shell casings along the highway to support his fabricated narrative.

Following the incident, Mascia was taken to Nassau University Medical Center and discharged in a wheelchair on November 1, amidst a show of support from law enforcement.

This deception prompted a manhunt for a supposed shooter, wasting valuable resources from New York police agencies, according to officials.

After resigning in disgrace on January 24, Mascia received a three-year prison sentence. However, in May, Nassau County prosecutors found him guilty of official misconduct and evidence tampering, leading to a reduced sentence of six months in prison and five years of probation.

Although he was originally set for sentencing in August, those proceedings were delayed.

In a related matter, Mascia’s parents, Thomas and Dorothy, faced weapons charges but were sentenced to probation along with fines of $375 and $250, respectively, rather than jail time.