United States federal prosecutors have unveiled a disturbing case against two young men from Texas, accusing them of a chilling plot to violently invade a Caribbean island.
The Alleged Invasion Plot
Gavin Rivers Weisenburg, aged 21, and Tanner Christopher Thomas, aged 20, are facing serious charges for allegedly planning an armed takeover of Gonave Island, which lies off the coast of Haiti. According to the indictment, their bizarre strategy involved recruiting a mercenary force from an unlikely source: homeless individuals from the Washington, D.C. area.
The men reportedly discussed acquiring a sailboat and an arsenal of weapons to facilitate their attack. The ultimate goal of their plan, as stated by prosecutors, was gruesome: they intended to murder all the men on the island and then force the women and children into sexual slavery. Their objective was to stage a coup d'état and seize total control of the territory.
Preparations and Legal Defence
In preparation for the planned invasion, Tanner Thomas allegedly joined the U.S. Air Force earlier this year to gain military skills. For similar reasons, Gavin Weisenburg enrolled in a fire academy near Dallas but later dropped out. He also travelled to Thailand to learn sailing, but abandoned the lessons due to high costs.
Despite the gravity of the accusations, both defendants are expected to plead not guilty. Tanner Thomas's attorney, John Helms, stated firmly, "They never tried to do any of this." David Finn, the lawyer for Weisenburg, described the case as "the craziest thing" and urged the public to withhold judgment until all evidence is presented in court.
Additional Charges and Potential Sentences
Beyond the invasion conspiracy, both men face separate charges for persuading a minor to produce child pornography. Investigators reportedly found related material on their electronic devices.
The potential consequences are severe. If convicted of conspiracy to commit murder in a foreign country, Weisenburg and Thomas could be sentenced to life in federal prison. The child pornography charges alone carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years.
The target of their alleged plot, Gonave Island, is a 743-square-kilometre landmass home to roughly 100,000 people. The island, accessible only by boat, is known for its extreme poverty, famine, and chronic shortages of essential supplies like clean water. It also suffers from regular cholera outbreaks and has been repeatedly devastated by natural disasters, deepening the hardship for its residents.
