Two individuals are facing serious allegations of plotting to form a ‘homeless army’ and launch an attack on an island with intentions to exploit its residents for sexual purposes. Gavin Rivers Weisenburg, 21, and Tanner Christopher Thomas, 20, both hailing from Dallas, Texas, are accused of devising a scheme to eliminate all male inhabitants of Haiti’s Gonave Island and engage in sexual exploitation of women and children. The duo was formally charged in the US on Thursday with conspiracy to commit murder, maim, or kidnap in a foreign country, as well as the production of child pornography for allegedly coercing a minor into engaging in sexually explicit activities.
According to federal prosecutors, Weisenburg and Thomas planned to acquire a boat and firearms, followed by recruiting individuals from the homeless community in the District of Columbia to form a mercenary group. One of them even went as far as enlisting in the US military to receive training for an armed assault with the objective of orchestrating a coup d’état on the island, as stated in the indictment.
Gonave Island, situated approximately 38 miles off the Haitian mainland, is home to around 87,000 people across an area of about 290 square miles. Legal representatives for both defendants announced that they would plead not guilty. John Helms, serving as Thomas’ attorney, commented, “They never attempted any of these actions.”
Mr. Helms expressed skepticism regarding the prosecution’s ability to substantiate that Weisenburg and Thomas genuinely intended to carry out the plan. Allegedly, Weisenburg enrolled in a fire academy in Dallas to gain relevant skills for the attack but was unsuccessful in completing the program. Subsequently, he reportedly traveled to Thailand with plans to learn sailing, which he never pursued due to financial constraints.
As per the indictment, Thomas enlisted in the US Air Force in January and informed Weisenburg through social media that his military enrollment was aimed at advancing their planned operation. During his service, Thomas requested a transfer to Andrews Air Base in Maryland to assist in the recruitment of homeless individuals in Washington, D.C., according to the indictment.
The US Air Force Office of Special Investigations was involved in the probe, as indicated by the US Attorney’s Office. The Air Force did not provide an immediate response regarding Thomas’ military service. If convicted of the child pornography charge, the defendants could face up to 30 years in prison, while the conspiracy charge carries a potential life sentence.