A veteran NYPD detective today was sentenced to four months in prison for lying at the trial of a teen who shot another man in the face in the Bronx.

Former Detective Christopher Perino had faced seven years behind bars for denying having questioned Erik Crespo, 17, who shot his victim on Christmas Day.

Secret Recording



But the youth had recorded the 70-minute interrogation on his MP3 player. Crespo, who had been facing 15 years in jail, plea bargained his way to a seven-year sentence and remains free pending an appeal.

“Perjury is an affront to the court,” said Bronx Supreme Court Judge James Kindler before sentencing Perino, a 22-year veteran who said he couldn’t recall interviewing the teen.

“It was directly due to (Perino’s) perjury that the trial fell apart, and Crespo got the benefit.”

Perino’s conviction also cost him his job, pension and health benefits, estimated to be worth $3 million.

He shook his head in apparent disbelief as he left the court this morning.

The judge had been given nearly 300 letters written by supporters of Perino, including dozens of former colleagues.

“It would be a sin, a wrongful act, to incarcerate (Perino) even for a day,” said his attorney, Murray Richman, who argued his client had suffered a memory lapse when he denied questioning Crespo.

But Assistant DA Larry Hartstein said, “He still doesn’t recognize or show any remorse for what he did.

“This defendant disgraced his badge and violated his oath of office.”