Federal prosecutors say two young North Texas men spent nearly a year plotting something out of a dystopian nightmare: an armed takeover of a Haitian island where male residents would be killed and women and children enslaved. A grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas yesterday indicted 21-year-old Gavin Rivers Weisenburg of Allen and 20-year-old Tanner Christopher Thomas of Argyle in connection with the alleged scheme. They are also charged in a separate count with producing child pornography.
What the indictment says
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of Texas, the two-count indictment alleges that between August 2024 and July 2025, Weisenburg and Thomas conspired to recruit and lead an unlawful expeditionary force to Gonâve Island, part of the Republic of Haiti, "for the purpose of carrying out their rape fantasies." The U.S. Attorney's Office says the men allegedly planned to buy a sailboat, firearms, and ammunition, and to pull together a mercenary group from the Washington, D.C. area. Prosecutors say court filings describe operational planning, efforts to learn Haitian Creole, and enrollment in courses the defendants believed would help them pull off an armed takeover of the island.
How prosecutors say they prepared
Local coverage that reviewed the court filings reports that the pair spent close to a year training and researching the alleged plot, including Haitian Creole classes and attempts to pick up sailing and other practical skills. FOX 4 outlines a timeline that includes Weisenburg enrolling at the North Texas Fire Academy in August 2024 and Thomas enlisting in the U.S. Air Force in January 2025, steps prosecutors say were aimed at gaining relevant capabilities. The same filings also allege the two tried to recruit others online and in person and that they coerced a minor to engage in sexual acts on camera in August 2024.
Charges, penalties, and investigators
Federal prosecutors charged both defendants with conspiracy to murder, maim, or kidnap in a foreign country and with production of child pornography. The Justice Department says a conviction on the conspiracy count could result in a life sentence, while the child-pornography count carries a potential penalty of 15–30 years in prison. The Justice Department says the investigation involved the FBI, the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and local police, and that an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District is handling the prosecution. The press release stresses that a grand jury indictment is only an accusation and that Weisenburg and Thomas are presumed innocent unless and until the government proves its case in court.
Local ties and what's next
Authorities arrested Weisenburg on July 3. Local outlets report that public records do not list a public arrest date or show a booking photo for Thomas. CBS News Texas reports that the indictment was returned on Nov. 20 and that arraignment, discovery, and other pretrial steps will proceed in federal court in the Eastern District of Texas. As the case moves forward, official court dockets and filings will provide the most authoritative updates.
Why it matters
The case stands out as a rare example of alleged international violence plotted from a North Texas suburb and underscores how planning, online recruitment, and skill-building can be treated by investigators as part of a larger criminal conspiracy. Local and federal authorities say their work on the case is continuing, and future filings in the Eastern District are expected to reveal more details about the scope of the alleged plot. Court documents and the U.S. Attorney's public statements will remain the primary sources for verified information as the prosecution unfolds.
