MINEOLA, N.Y. — Former New York State Trooper Thomas J. Mascia, 27, pleaded guilty to faking a highway shooting in October 2024, triggering a massive regional law enforcement response and a costly investigation. On Thursday, Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced that Mascia will serve six months in jail and five years of probation, and must pay a $289,511 civil judgment for misusing public resources.
Mascia admitted to tampering with physical evidence, falsely reporting an incident, and official misconduct, all stemming from his hoax involving a fabricated gunman during a supposed traffic stop on the Southern State Parkway near Exit 17 in West Hempstead.
“Mascia’s pathetic stunt put the public on edge… costing several departments time and resources,” said DA Donnelly. “Now, he will face the consequences for tarnishing the oath he took to serve and protect.”
The staged event occurred on October 30, 2024, when Mascia reported being shot by a motorist driving a Dodge Charger. He claimed the suspect wore a balaclava and fired multiple rounds, injuring his leg. Responding agencies included the New York State Police, Nassau County PD, NYPD, New Jersey State Police, and Newark Police.
Nine shell casings were found at the scene, and a BOLO alert was issued. But a detailed investigation revealed Mascia shot himself with a .22-caliber rifle—later recovered at his family home—and planted shell casings to stage the crime scene. Patrol vehicle data further disproved his timeline, showing he traveled between his home, Hempstead Lake State Park, and the parkway.
No credible evidence ever surfaced to support Mascia’s story. Video footage, tire marks, and eyewitness accounts were all absent, and no vehicle matched his description.
Mascia resigned from the New York State Police on January 24, 2025, just days before his arrest.
His parents, Thomas A. Mascia and Dorothy Mascia, were also charged after officers found an illegal firearm at their residence.
Thomas A. Mascia pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a firearm and is set to receive five years’ probation.
Dorothy Mascia pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree and will receive a conditional discharge.
All three are scheduled for sentencing on August 20, 2025.
The case was prosecuted by a team led by Jared Rosenblatt, Kristen Fexas, and Alexandra Laird, with oversight from the Nassau County DA’s Investigations and Litigation Divisions.
