The US Department of Justice has unveiled shocking allegations against two Texas men, accusing them of orchestrating a brutal coup d'état on the Haitian island of Gonâve. The plan, described by federal prosecutors, was allegedly conceived for the purpose of carrying out their rape fantasies.
The Alleged Coup Conspiracy
According to an announcement from the US attorney's office for the eastern district of Texas, the accused are Gavin Rivers Weisenburg, aged 21, and Tanner Christopher Thomas, aged 20. The indictment claims they plotted to seize control of Gonâve, the largest island in Haiti, which has an estimated population of between 85,000 and 100,000 people.
Their alleged strategy involved a disturbing recruitment plan: utilising the homeless population of Washington DC to form an invasion force. The justice department states the men's ultimate goal was to murder all the men on the island and then subject the women and children to sexual slavery.
Military Training and Preparation
The two men reportedly began hatching their plan in August 2024 and continued until July of this year. In preparation, they are said to have gained Haitian Creole language skills and enrolled in specific training schools.
One of the accused, Tanner Christopher Thomas, joined the US Air Force with the explicit intention of acquiring military skills relevant to the invasion plan. He later changed his station to Maryland to facilitate the recruitment of homeless individuals from the nation's capital.
His alleged co-conspirator, Gavin Rivers Weisenburg, was arrested in July. A local Fox station in Texas reported that he had travelled to Thailand to learn how to sail, a skill necessary for their planned seaborne invasion. The men also intended to purchase a boat, weapons, and ammunition.
Serious Federal Charges and Potential Sentences
Both men face severe legal consequences. They have been charged with producing child pornography, which carries a potential prison sentence of 15 to 30 years upon conviction.
The more significant charge is federal conspiracy to murder, maim, or kidnap in a foreign country. A conviction for this offence would result in a life sentence in prison.
The complex case was a joint operation handled by the FBI, the US Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and a local police department.
The indictment does not make clear why the men specifically targeted Gonâve island. However, a 2020 UN human rights office video highlighted that the island lacks judicial personnel and infrastructure, with residents complaining that crime is not sufficiently addressed. The area is also described as difficult to reach and largely cut off from the rest of Haiti.
