A former New York state trooper admitted in court docket Wednesday to staging a pretend crime scene, capturing himself within the leg and saying another person did it — as a part of what prosecutors say was an effort to garner sympathy.
Thomas Mascia, 27, pleaded responsible to tampering with bodily proof, falsely reporting an incident and official misconduct within the Oct. 30, 2024 incident. Mascia had claimed he was wounded by an unknown gunman.
In court docket Wednesday, he stated he created a pretend crime scene close to exit 17 of the Southern State Parkway by spreading spent shells on the street. He then drove in his state trooper automobile to Hempstead Lake State Sark, the place he shot himself with the identical caliber rifle because the shells he left on the scene. Then Mascia says he went again to the freeway and known as within the capturing.
“You weren’t shot by someone else?” the assistant district legal professional requested.
Mascia answered “yes.”
Prosecutors say he might have been searching for sympathy from a former girlfriend who’s the topic of an order of safety Mascia agreed to signal.
Mascia’s lawyer, Jeffrey Lichtman, stated the previous trooper additionally lied about being hit by a automobile in an incident upstate. He says the state police missed his indicators of psychological points, which he claims led to what occurred on the Southern State Parkway final yr.
Mascia is anticipated to be sentenced in August.
Below a plea settlement with the Nassau district legal professional’s workplace, Mascia will likely be sentenced to 6 months in jail and 5 years probation. He additionally should endure continued psychological well being remedy and pay $289,511.32 in restitution.
When requested by the choose if he felt he was in good psychological well being, Mascia stated “yes.” Two weeks in the past, his “no” reply delayed the plea deal.
Mascia’s dad and mom additionally pleaded responsible to an unrelated weapons cost.
