Two men from North Texas are facing federal charges after prosecutors say they spent nearly a year planning a violent takeover of a small island community off the coast of Haiti.
20-year-old Tanner Christopher Thomas of Argyle and 21-year-old Gavin Rivers Weisenburg of Allen were charged with conspiracy to murder, maim or kidnap in a foreign country and production of child pornography, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Texas.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office says the men were arrested this week and indicted on multiple counts connected to what investigators describe as a coup-style plot targeting Gonâve Island, a rural Haitian island northwest of Port-au-Prince.
According to federal documents, prosecutors allege the men intended to sail to the island, kill the adult male population and enslave the women and children. Investigators say the pair trained for months, gathered supplies and discussed their plans repeatedly, leading federal agents to intervene before any attempt was made.
The case is being handled by the U.S. Department of Justice and falls under federal jurisdiction because the men live in the Dallas–Fort Worth area and allegedly planned the operation from Texas. Both suspects are now in federal custody and face charges that could bring life sentences if they are convicted.
Court proceedings are ongoing, and the investigation remains active as prosecutors review evidence tied to the alleged conspiracy.
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