Texas Men Planned to Kill Residents and Enslave Women and Children on Haitian Island

The shocking alleged plan: what federal documents reveal

Two residents of North Texas — Gavin Rivers Weisenburg, 21, of Allen, Texas, and Tanner Christopher Thomas, 20, of Argyle, Texas — have been indicted by a federal grand jury for what prosecutors describe as an “elaborate scheme” to carry out a coup-style invasion of the Haitian island of Île de Gonâve. According to the indictment cited by the news outlet FOX 4 Dallas‑Fort Worth, the men allegedly planned to purchase a boat, sail to the island (part of the Republic of Haiti), kill every male resident onboard, and take the women and children as captives with intent to enslave them.

The indictment states the planning period extended from August 2024 to July 2025, and involved significant preparation including Haitian Creole language classes, supposed training in fire and maritime skills, and contact with U.S. military training.

Of particular note, the men are also accused of production of child pornography in connection with the scheme—adding a highly serious crime to the conspiracy to commit murder/kidnap abroad.

Timeline of alleged preparation

• August 2024: The men allegedly begin planning, start Haitian Creole classes to prepare for deployment.

• August 5, 2024: Weisenburg enrolled at a North Texas Fire Academy in Rockwall as part of the alleged training efforts.

• February 2025: Weisenburg purchased tickets to Thailand, with partial intent to enroll in a sailing course to facilitate a maritime transit to Île de Gonâve.

• March 14, 2025: Thomas changed his U.S. Air Force assignment from Germany to Maryland, allegedly to remain in the U.S. and recruit homeless persons in the Washington, D.C. area.

• August 31, 2024: The indictment alleges a minor was coerced into performing sexual acts on camera.

• July 3, 2025: Weisenburg was arrested; no public arrest date yet for Thomas as of the article’s publication.

It is estimated that Île de Gonâve has a population of about 87,000 people.

The nature of the charges

The indictment lists two key categories of federal crimes:

1. Conspiracy to murder, maim, or kidnap in a foreign country — The alleged plan to invade, kill the men, kidnap/enslave the women and children falls under this charge.

2. Production of child pornography — related to the alleged exploitation of a minor in connection with the scheme.

Federal criminologist Alex Del Carmen described the case as “the most bizarre” he’d seen in 29 years, noting that prosecutors look for (a) intent, (b) planning/organization, and (c) capability — all allegedly present in this case.

Potential penalties and enforcement agencies

If convicted:

• For conspiracy to murder/kidnap abroad: the men could face life imprisonment under federal law.

• For production of child pornography: 15 to 30 years in prison.

Key federal agencies involved include the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and local law enforcement such as the Salina Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas.

Why this case matters for international law and security

This case intersects multiple critical legal and policy domains:

• The idea of U.S.-based individuals planning an armed invasion of a foreign territory raises questions of transnational criminal conspiracies, violations of sovereignty, and terrorism-like conduct.

• The inclusion of child pornography production adds a layer of cyber-/media-based sexual exploitation, which brings in international human-rights norms and federal statutes that cross borders.

• The alleged targeting of an island population for mass murder and sexual enslavement touches on war crimes, genocide, and human trafficking—though the formal designations would depend on further investigation and indictment details.

• From the perspective of the U.S. legal regime, the case highlights how federal criminal law can reach actions partially planned and executed (or intended) abroad, including via U.S. persons and resources.

What happens next — legal process & strategic considerations

• Both defendants will enter pleas—Weisenburg’s attorney has emphasized the indictment is simply an allegation.

• Pretrial motions will likely focus on issues such as sufficiency of the Government’s evidence of capability and imminence of the conspiracy, as well as jurisdictional questions (for example, whether the acts occurred abroad and how that affects venue, statute of limitations, and treaty obligations).

• Discovery will include communications, training records, travel/ticket purchases, assignments in the military (for Thomas), and any digital production relating to the child-pornography counts.

• If convicted, sentencing will consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, federal statutes, and possible enhancements for terrorism-like conduct, mass murder, kidnap/enslavement, and sexual exploitation of minors.

• The international element may involve coordination with Haitian authorities, possible extradition/cooperation, and the question of bringing victims into U.S. proceedings.

Broader implications for law enforcement and victims

• The case underscores the growing complexity of cross-border criminal plotting — in this case involving language training (Haitian Creole), maritime planning, U.S. military training, and recruitment of homeless persons.

• For victims and communities (both in the U.S. and on Île de Gonâve), it reinforces the importance of early detection of radicalization, unusual travel/training behavior, and exploitation of vulnerable populations.

• It also highlights the nexus between violent extremist planning and sexual exploitation/trafficking, meaning law enforcement must coordinate across traditional violent-crime, counter-terrorism, and child-exploitation units.

• For U.S.-based firms and legal teams dealing with international risk, this case may serve as a cautionary tale around due diligence for persons claiming maritime training, foreign-language enrollment, or overseas travel that could mask illicit intent.

Legal Summary

• The indictment alleges two U.S. citizens conspired to commit acts abroad: murder of an entire male population segment of an island, kidnapping/enslavement of women and children, as well as production of child pornography.

• Federal jurisdiction is invoked under statutes covering conspiracy to murder/kidnap in a foreign country and production of child pornography. This illustrates the U.S. government’s ability to prosecute U.S. persons for grave offenses even when substantial planning or acts happen overseas.

• Key elements likely to be litigated include intent, capability, overt acts (preparation), venue/jurisdiction, and extradition or cooperation with foreign authorities.

• Sentencing exposure is extremely high: life imprisonment for the foreign-murder/kidnap conspiracy, and 15-30 years for the child-pornography counts—potentially to be served consecutively.

• For victims, international and U.S. legal remedies may be available, including criminal prosecution, asset forfeiture, and restitution if proven.

• For law firms and marketing professionals like those reading this blog, this case underscores the importance of awareness of cross-border conspiracies, emerging criminal-terrorist hybrids, and the utility of coordinating legal, compliance, and risk teams when dealing with international trade, travel, training, or recruitment scenarios.