Federal authorities have charged two young Texas men in connection with an alleged plan to carry out a violent assault on a Haitian island, prosecutors announced Thursday.
Court filings describe the scheme as a year-long plot targeting male residents and enslaving women and children.
Investigators say the pair took multiple steps to acquire weapons, recruit participants and gain skills they believed would help execute their plan.
The indictment in the Eastern District of Texas names 21-year-old Gavin Rivers Weisenburg of Allen and 20-year-old Tanner Christopher Thomas of Argyle.
Prosecutors say the men planned to travel to Gonave Island, located in the Gulf of Gonave, to carry out an armed takeover.
Fox News reports that the island’s population is estimated to be between 87,000 and 100,000.
Authorities say the pair intended to kill male residents and enslave women and children, turning the operation into what they describe as a brutal, premeditated assault.
Federal documents indicate the defendants intended to purchase a sailboat, stockpile firearms and ammunition and recruit a force from the Washington, D.C., homeless community.
Prosecutors describe the effort as part of a broader plan to assemble a “mercenary force” to facilitate the coup. Investigators allege the men treated the operation as both a logistical project and the fulfillment of violent fantasies.
“Weisenburg and Thomas intended to murder all of the men on the island so that they could then turn all of the women and children into their sex slaves,” prosecutors wrote in the indictment.
Federal officials say the plot was motivated by what they described as “rape fantasies.”
Court filings portray the plan as highly organized, involving a combination of tactical preparation, skill-building and targeted recruitment, according to WBMA.
Investigators allege that between August 2024 and July 2025, the men actively pursued knowledge and training to support their plan.
They reportedly studied Haitian Creole, researched maritime navigation and attempted to identify others willing to participate.
Both also enrolled in programs they believed would provide operational or tactical skills, reflecting a deliberate effort to acquire practical experience for the alleged invasion.
According to Courthouse News, Weisenburg enrolled in the North Texas Fire Academy to study command and organizational control but was dismissed from the program in February 2025.
Shortly afterward, he purchased plane tickets to Thailand with plans to attend a sailing school to gain maritime skills, though he ultimately did not enroll due to cost.
Prosecutors say these steps were directly tied to preparing for the planned assault.
Thomas allegedly joined the U.S. Air Force to gain military training relevant to the plot. During basic training, he successfully requested a reassignment from Germany to Andrews Air Base in Maryland.
Prosecutors say the move allowed him to remain in the U.S., both to assist with planning and to recruit participants from the D.C. area.
Authorities describe these actions as part of a coordinated effort to assemble and train forces for the planned operation.
In addition to the alleged conspiracy, both men face separate charges for production of child pornography.
Prosecutors allege they coerced a minor into sending sexually explicit material in August 2024, a crime carrying a minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years if convicted.
Officials say these additional charges reflect a pattern of criminal behavior occurring alongside the planned invasion.
Thomas was arrested Thursday and is being held at the Collin County Jail. Weisenburg was not listed in jail records as of Friday afternoon.
Prosecutors say each could face life in prison if convicted on the conspiracy charge.
Authorities emphasize the seriousness of the allegations, which federal officials say demonstrate a combination of premeditation, planning, and intended violence.
Federal officials stress that a grand jury indictment does not establish guilt.
Both defendants remain presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The case is under investigation by the FBI and the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations.
Prosecutors continue to review evidence related to the alleged plot and associated criminal activity.
