Gavin Rivers Weisenburg, 21, and Tanner Christopher Thomas, 20, Accused of
Recruiting Homeless Mercenaries to Seize Gonâve Island
Federal prosecutors have indicted two North Texas men, Gavin Rivers Weisenburg of Allen, 21, and Tanner Christopher Thomas of Argyle, 20, for allegedly plotting to recruit homeless individuals from Washington, D.C., to form a mercenary “army” to invade Haiti’s Gonâve Island, kill all the men, and enslave the women and children.
According to court documents from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas, the pair planned to purchase a sailboat, firearms, and ammunition to carry out the violent coup between August 2024 and July 2025.
The indictment states they intended to murder every man on Gonâve Island—a tropical island of about 100,000 residents off the coast of Haiti—and subject the women and children to sexual slavery.
Weisenburg and Thomas allegedly undertook preparation activities including learning Haitian Creole, researching operational logistics, and enrolling in schools to acquire necessary skills. Thomas reportedly enlisted in the U.S. Air Force to obtain military training for the invasion plan.
Their plot involved recruiting members of the homeless population from the Washington, D.C. area as mercenaries to assist in the violent takeover.
The indictment includes charges of conspiracy to murder, kidnap, and maim in a foreign country, as well as production of child pornography. Conviction could potentially lead to life imprisonment.
Authorities are treating the case as a particularly disturbing and outlandish plot, highlighting the severity of the allegations and the scale of premeditation.
The investigation continues as law enforcement aims to prevent such threats and hold those responsible fully accountable.
