Banana mogul Thomas Hoey boosts defense team in federal case

Long Island banana mogul Thomas Hoey has added some legal muscle to his defense team against federal charges of supplying the drugs that killed a woman and suborning perjury.

Hoey is already represented by Joseph Conway of Mineola, a top Long Island defense lawyer. Four more well-known attorneys entered appearances Tuesday, including Ron Fischetti, a veteran best known for defending one of the police officers charged with abusing Abner Louima.

Also joining were Manhattan lawyer Eric Franz, who has represented celebrities such as Ice-T and Christian Slater; Marc Fernich, a litigator whose website lists clients including Junior Gotti and Armand D'Amato; and former Bronx prosecutor Robert Caliendo, who last year joined Sercarz & Riopelle, one of the city's top white-collar defense firms.

None of the five responded to emails late Tuesday.

Hoey, 45, of Garden City, the head of the Long Island Banana Co., has been jailed since December on charges he provided cocaine that killed Kim Calo, 41, of Glenwood Landing, at a sex party in 2009, and conspired to suborn grand jury perjury from a woman at the party.

He also faces state court charges of assaulting a girlfriend.