Two men from Texas are facing federal charges after the Department of Justice unveiled a disturbing indictment alleging they plotted to invade a remote Haitian island, massacre its male population, and enslave women and children to fulfill violent “rape fantasies.”
Federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of Texas announced on Thursday that Gavin Rivers Weisenburg, 21, and Tanner Christopher Thomas, 20, have been charged with conspiracy to murder, maim, or kidnap in a foreign country. If convicted, they face life in federal prison.
According to court documents, the pair targeted Gonâve, an island west of Port-au-Prince with a population of roughly 90,000. Investigators allege the men devised a plan to overthrow the island’s local governance and establish a fiefdom where they could carry out sexual violence without legal consequence.
READ: Michigan Father Charged With Murder Of Three Sons Days Before Release From Prison
A Private Army of the Unhoused
The indictment details a specific and unusual recruitment strategy. Prosecutors state that Thomas and Weisenburg planned to travel to Washington, D.C., to recruit homeless individuals to serve as their mercenary force.
To facilitate this, Thomas allegedly enlisted in the U.S. Air Force to gain tactical knowledge relevant to an invasion. He later requested a station transfer to Maryland to be closer to the nation’s capital, where the pair intended to begin recruiting their force.
Active Preparations
The plot, which authorities say ran from August 2024 through July 2025, allegedly moved beyond discussion into active preparation. The indictment notes that the men began learning Haitian Creole and researched the purchase of a boat, firearms, and ammunition.
Local reporting from Texas indicates that Weisenburg traveled to Thailand specifically to learn how to sail, presumably to navigate the vessel intended for the invasion.
The target, Gonâve, is described by the UN human rights office as an isolated location with limited infrastructure and a lack of judicial personnel, potentially making it viewed by the defendants as a vulnerable target.
READ: Kentucky Teacher Gets 14 Years For Inmate Sex Abuse, Asking Him To Murder Her Husband
Additional Charges
Beyond the conspiracy charges, both men are facing charges related to the production of child pornography. A conviction on these counts alone carries a mandatory prison sentence of between 15 and 30 years.
The investigation was a joint operation involving the FBI, the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and local law enforcement.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
