By Sarah Elizabeth Villicana, The Porterville Recorder
Criminal allegations detailing what transpired between a witness cooperating with federal agents and Porterville business owner, Talal “Ted” Chammout, have been made public.

Chammout, 47, is being held in a Fresno County Jail for charges he conspired to buy rocket launchers, bullet proof vests and other types of weapons and protective gear under the belief the items were stolen from the U.S. military.

The Porterville headquarters of Trucker's Oil Co. Petroleum Products and Trucker's Mini Mart were raided by dozens of federal, state and Fresno County officers Dec. 7. During a search of the office, market and a storage unit authorities seized around 40 firearms including a Tec-9 and AK-47 assault rifle.

Chammout has been charged with being a convicted felon in possession of firearms and conspiracy to purchase stolen government weapons, according to federal indictment. He was convicted on a felony assault charge from an incident in 1995.

After federal agents began surveillance of Chammout in June 2004, the defendant met with a federal witness off and on through Dec. 7 of this year, according to Assistant US District Attorney Carl Faller. Faller said during the course of investigation, Chammout purchased chemical suits, body armor and weapons he was led to believe had been stolen from the Lemoore Naval Air Station. “He said he wanted delivery to take place in unstable areas, all located in the Middle East,” said Faller, who added that the countries allegedly named by Chammout included Syria and Jordan. The defendant is a U.S. citizen born in Lebanon.

On Dec. 15, U.S. Magistrate Judge Lawrence O'Neill denied a bail request and was quoted as saying “the discussion we have now is in the terrorist category.” Faller said the US District Attorney's Office have never alleged Chammout was involved in terrorist activity. Chammout's attorney, Roger Nuttall, called the judges reference to terrorism a red herring in his client's case.

The most damning allegation by federal prosecutor comes from February 2006 meeting between Chammout and the witness working under the direction of federal agencies. During the meeting, investigators stated the business owner asked about missile systems that shoot down aircraft.

Faller said Chammout also told the confidential witnesses that he wanted to supply people and if they didn't get what they wanted Chammout told one of the witnesses “he would be dead.” “We interpreted that as being a threat directed at the witness,” Faller said.

Prosecutors won't say if additional arrests are anticipated in connection to the investigation of Chammout. “There were some other folks we came into contact with, but I can't comment further,” Faller said. For now, Nuttall said his priority is to persuade the judge to grant bail for his client. He said Trucker's Oil Co. has ceased operations since Chammout's arrest.

“It's very difficult for him [Chammout] to sit helpless and to know what he has worked so hard to create is disappearing,” Nuttall said.

Nuttall added he has yet to receive discovery documents from the federal investigation. He said he is not able to comment on the federal allegations until he can see those documents, which would contain specific accounts of the two-year investigation.

The next court date is set for Jan. 8. Chammout will appear before U.S. District Judge Oliver Wanger and Nuttall will again seek to have his client released from jail while the case against him proceeds.

If found guilty of both charges, Chammout faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and fines of up to $500,000.

Contact Sarah Villicana at 784-5000, Ext. 1045, or svillicana@portervillerecorder.com.

This story was published in The Porterville Recorder on Dec. 30, 2006