Two young men from North Texas have been charged in a horrifying plot to launch an armed coup on Haiti’s Gonave Island, one that prosecutors say included murdering all adult men and enslaving women and children. The U.S. Justice Department announced the charges Thursday after a federal grand jury returned an indictment detailing months of violent planning.
According to the indictment, Gavin Weisenburg, 21, of Allen, and Tanner Thomas, 20, of Argyle, conspired with others to seize control of Gonave by force. Prosecutors say the men communicated extensively on social media, conducted research and reconnaissance, recruited participants, and sought military-style training.
- Advertisement -
“It was the goal of the conspiracy to take military control of the Island of Gonave by murdering all the men on the island and capturing all the women,” the indictment states, noting that the conspirators intended to treat women and children as sex slaves.
Both men are charged with conspiracy to kill or kidnap persons in a foreign country, an offense that carries a potential life sentence, as well as producing child pornography, which carries a penalty of up to 30 years.
Attorneys for the men say they will plead not guilty.
Weisenburg’s lawyer, David Finn, urged the public to “hold their horses,” arguing in a statement to NPR that the government’s account is “somewhat accurate yet wildly misleading.”
Thomas’ attorney, John Helms, similarly said his client intends to fight the charges “vigorously.”
Plot Involved Military Training, Covert Recruitment
Federal prosecutors allege the pair took deliberate steps to build their capacity for a violent takeover. Thomas reportedly enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in January 2025 in order to acquire combat and tactical skills “useful in carrying out their armed coup.”
Weisenburg, meanwhile, enrolled in the North Texas Fire Academy in 2024 seeking emergency and operational training, though he failed out months later.
The indictment also claims the men planned to recruit homeless individuals in Washington, D.C., using them as manpower to storm the island. Prosecutors say Thomas even arranged a transfer from Ramstein Air Base in Germany to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland to facilitate that recruitment.
Both men allegedly studied Haitian Creole, researched weapons—including military-grade rifles—and plotted to transport firearms, ammunition, and explosives to Haiti by sailboat. Weisenburg is accused of traveling to Thailand to attend sailing school in preparation for the journey.
Target: Gonave Island
Gonave Island, located roughly 30 miles northwest of Port-au-Prince, is home to about 87,000 residents. Authorities say the conspirators intended to use the remote island as the foundation for their violent regime.
The case remains under investigation, and both men await trial in federal court.
