2 American men, aged 20 & 21, allegedly plotted to kill men on Haiti island, turn women & children into sex slaves

Two men from Texas, United States, have been charged over an alleged plot to invade a Haitian island, murder all the men, and enslave the women and children, according to U.S. federal prosecutors.

The men had also planned to recruit homeless people in Washington, D.C. to join their armed expedition.

Tanner Christopher Thomas, 20, and Gavin Rivers Weisenburg, 21, were indicted on charges of conspiracy to murder, maim or kidnap persons in a foreign country, as well as sexual exploitation of children for the production of child pornography.

Alleged plans to seize control of a Haiti island

According to the indictment, the pair began planning their takeover in August 2024.

They allegedly intended to sail to Gonave Island, a Haitian territory of about 87,000 people, where they would kill all the men before turning the women and children into sex slaves “to carry out their rape fantasies”.

Prosecutors say the men discussed travelling by sailboat, buying firearms, ammunition, and explosives, as well as conducting reconnaissance and training to prepare for the operation.

Both men also took Haitian Creole lessons, and sought to recruit others to join their effort.

Recruiting the homeless for their coup

Federal officials said the duo reportedly intended to build a makeshift mercenary force out of the homeless population in Washington, D.C.

Thomas even changed his Air Force posting from Germany to Maryland to place himself closer to the U.S. capital in order to facilitate recruitment of the homeless, as reported by NPR.

Weisenburg apparently travelled to Thailand in an attempt to enrol in a sailing school before buying a boat.

However, he did not join the programme eventually.

The pair allegedly communicated extensively on social media about their plans.

Attempts to acquire military and command skills

In addition to weapons research, both men reportedly pursued training they believed would support their plot.

Thomas had enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in January 2025, which prosecutors say was partly to gain military experience relevant to the planned invasion, reported the New York Times.

Weisenburg, meanwhile, enrolled in the North Texas Fire Academy in August 2024, seeking to learn “command-and-control protocols”, before being dismissed in February 2025 after failing the programme.

Pleading not guilty

Lawyers representing the two men have said their clients will plead not guilty.

Weisenburg’s lawyer told NPR that while “there is some limited factual basis to the government’s press release”, he warned that “something can be somewhat accurate yet wildly misleading at the same time”.

Thomas’s attorney said he would be “defending" his client "vigorously” against the charges.

If convicted of conspiracy to commit murder in a foreign country, both men face up to life imprisonment.

The child pornography charge carries a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in federal prison.

The investigation is being carried out by the FBI, the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and the Celina Police Department.

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