Two men from North Texas have been indicted in connection with a plot targeting an island off Haiti. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas charged 21-year-old Gavin Rivers Weisenburg and 20-year-old Tanner Christopher Thomas with conspiracy to murder, kidnap, and maim in a foreign country, as well as producing child pornography, according to Fox San Antonio.
The charges relate to activity between August 2024 and July this year, during which Weisenburg and Thomas allegedly planned an operation to overthrow the government on the Island of Gonave. According to U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs, obtained by CBS News, the pair’s plan reportedly included killing local men and exploiting women and children.
Authorities say the two men made extensive preparations for the alleged plot, including purchasing a sailboat, firearms, and ammunition, and recruiting individuals from the Washington, D.C., homeless population to act as a mercenary force. Reports also indicate that Thomas joined the U.S. Air Force to gain military skills that could support the plan.
Court documents indicate that Weisenburg and Thomas reportedly engaged in extensive planning, including learning Haitian Creole and recruiting others to support their alleged scheme. If convicted on the federal conspiracy charges, they could face life in prison, while convictions for producing child pornography carry sentences ranging from 15 to 30 years in federal prison.
Investigators include the FBI, U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and the Salina Police Department, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Locker handling prosecution. Despite the seriousness of the indictment, all defendants are legally presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
