An alleged plot to take over a Haitian island was foiled after federal investigators caught up to two white men in Texas. Authorities say the pair’s scheme was simple: invade the island, murder the men and use the women and children as sex slaves. Now, the alleged conspirators are behind bars.
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Gavin Rivers Weisenburg, 21, and Tanner Christopher Thomas, 20, allegedly began their plot back in August 2024. That’s when investigators say the two men started to recruit others to join their cause. They allegedly planned to buy guns, ammunition and even a sailboat to invade Gonave Island, which is located off the north western coast of Haiti’s mainland.
“The co-conspirators conducted research, reconnaissance, recruiting, planning, and sought training to effectuate their plan,” according to the federal indictment against them. “It was the goal of the conspiracy to take military control of the Island of Gonave by murdering all the men on the island and capturing all the women.”
According to the Department of Justice, Weisenburg and Thomas even went as far as to learn the Haitian Creole in order to communicate with the people they allegedly planned to conquer. Thomas enlisted in the Air Force in order to allegedly gain skills relevant to the murderous plot, while Weisenburg allegedly made a trip to Thailand for sailing school ahead of their voyage to Haiti.
Gonave Island is the largest island in Haiti with a population of about 87,000, according to the La Gonâve Haiti Partners’ website. Despite efforts by European settlers between the 15th and 17th centuries, Gonave was never colonized by any major French or Spanish effort, making it a prime target for Weisenburg and Thomas’ alleged plan.
But they couldn’t do it alone, however. That’s when they allegedly began recruiting homeless people living in Washington, D.C. for the invasion. They were eventually caught after police traced back several social media posts all pointing to Weisenburg and Thomas’ mass takeover.
They’ve since been indicted on conspiracy to kill or kidnap persons in a foreign country charges and one count each of producing child pornography— brought after they allegedly coerced a minor to engage in explicit acts, the Associated Press reported. If convicted on conspiracy, they each face up to life in prison. A child pornography conviction could result in an extra 30 years behind bars.
Attorney David Finn, who represents Weisenburg, spoke to NPR to announce his client will plead not guilty. “While there is some limited factual basis to the Government’s Press Release,” Finn told the outlet, “I’m reminded that something can be somewhat accurate yet wildly misleading at the same time.”
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