Nationwide — Thomas Mascia, a former New York state trooper who faked his personal capturing to impress his ex-girlfriend, has been sentenced to solely six months in jail after falsely blaming a Black man for the staged assault that triggered a serious police manhunt.
Mascia, 27, admitted to capturing himself within the leg throughout a staged site visitors cease on the Southern State Parkway in West Hempstead on October 30, 2024. On the time, he advised police {that a} Black man driving a black Dodge Charger shot him earlier than dashing away, setting off an enormous seek for a suspect who by no means existed.
Investigators later discovered that the complete incident was staged. Prosecutors mentioned Mascia carried out the stunt to achieve sympathy from his ex-girlfriend, a Lengthy Island nurse who had lately damaged up with him. In a calculated transfer, he even requested first responders to take him to the hospital the place she labored so he might see her, based on the New York Put up.
Authorities discovered that Mascia had researched gunshot wounds beforehand, together with “liver shot” accidents and what it feels prefer to be shot. To make the scene look actual, he scattered shell casings alongside the parkway earlier than calling for assist.
The faux capturing prompted panic throughout New York’s regulation enforcement neighborhood and wasted lots of of police hours. Days later, unaware of the reality, officers gave Mascia a ceremonial “walkout” from the hospital, applauding him as a supposed hero.
When the reality got here out, Mascia resigned from the power on January 24, 2025. He initially confronted as much as three years in jail however later pleaded responsible to official misconduct and tampering with proof in alternate for a diminished sentence of six months in jail, 5 years of probation, and practically $290,000 in restitution.
Throughout sentencing, Nassau County Decide Robert Bogle referred to as Mascia’s habits a “wild goose chase” and a “deliberate betrayal of public belief.” District Legal professional Anne Donnelly described his actions as “premeditated and pathetic.”
Mascia’s mother and father, who confronted separate weapons prices, have been fined however spared jail time. His lawyer mentioned Mascia deeply regrets the incident and is now present process psychological well being therapy.
