New York state trooper who allegedly 'staged' shooting surrenders on criminal charges: Criminal complaint
A New York state trooper who claimed to have been shot in the line of duty in October is now facing criminal charges for having allegedly "staged" the shooting, according to officials.
Thomas Mascia, 27, surrendered to police Monday morning, a spokesperson for the Nassau County District Attorney's Office told ABC News. He faces charges of official misconduct, falsely reporting a crime and tampering with evidence.
In a press conference Monday, Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly said Mascia could face one to three years in prison for the "unconscionable" deception.
"He knew the fear that it would create -- and he did it anyway," Donnelly said.
Mascia's parents, Dorothy and Thomas, also surrendered to police on Monday on charges of criminal possession of a firearm, the district attorney's office said. The firearm was not the same one used in the shooting, but Mascia's father is a convicted felon, making it illegal for him to own a gun, Donnelly said.
Mascia's father, a former New York Police Department officer, was dismissed from the force in 1993 over accusations of running a cocaine ring, according to The New York Times.
Police matched the gun used in the shooting to one owned by Mascia, officials sad. It was not his service weapon, officials said. There was also "close to $800,000" found at the family's home, Donnelly said.
All three were released on their own recognizance Monday.
Mascia was on duty Oct. 30 in Hempstead when he "initiated a radio transmission for shots fired," according to a felony complaint obtained by ABC News.
He then "claimed he was shot by the driver of a black Dodger Charger described as either a Black or dark-skinned Hispanic male."
The complaint alleges Mascia actually "staged the scene of the shooting," placing shell casings on the ground hours earlier.
He then allegedly "shot himself in the leg in another location before returning to the staged location" on the Southern State Parkway.
State police temporarily shut down the section of the parkway where Mascia claimed the incident occurred "in an effort to locate the non-existent shooters, causing alarm and inconvenience to the public," the complaint states.
The complaint accuses Mascia of staging the shooting "for the benefit of gaining attention or sympathy for himself."
An attorney representing Mascia did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
He is expected to make his next court appearance Feb. 5.
