A former New York state trooper who shot himself on Long Island and then lied about it was sentenced Wednesday to six months in prison and five years probation as part of a plea deal. 

Thomas Mascia pleaded guilty over the summer to charges of falsely reporting an incident, tampering with physical evidence and official misconduct. 

As part of his plea deal, he was also ordered to pay $289,511 in restitution. He originally faced up to four years in prison. 

What Trooper Mascia claimed happened

Mascia, of West Hempstead, said he was shot in the leg last October while checking on a disabled vehicle along the Southern State Parkway. 

His claims prompted a manhunt for the vehicle and suspect that he described, but investigators discovered Mascia had actually shot himself.

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Trooper Thomas Mascia is released from the hospital on Nov. 1, 2024 days after being shot. 

CBS News New York

Prosecutors said he staged the whole thing — dropping shell casings on the parkway, driving to Hempstead Lake Park where he shot himself, and then returning to report the shooting.

Mascia’s parents, Dorothy and Thomas Sr. — a former NYPD officer convicted in a 1990s cocaine ring — were also charged with criminal possession of a firearm in the case. Prosecutors said a search of the home they shared with their son uncovered an illegal assault-style gun and $80,000 in cash. 

Investigators have suggested Mascia was looking for attention or sympathy. CBS News New York learned he also claimed he was injured by a hit-and-run driver in 2022, but that story was unsubstantiated. Â