PLANO, Texas – Two North Texas men have been indicted for an alleged scheme to sail to a foreign island, murder all the men, and enslave the women and children.Â
The men planned and trained for nearly a year, legal documents say, in an elaborate attempt to fulfill their “rape fantasies.”
International murder and kidnapping charges
The indictment:
Gavin Rivers Weisenburg, 21, of Allen, and Tanner Christopher Thomas, 20, of Argyle, have been indicted by a grand jury on counts of conspiracy to murder, maim, or kidnap in a foreign country and production of child pornography.
The charges were given for the pair’s extensive plans to travel to Gonâve Island, which is part of the Republic of Haiti, to attempt a coup d’état, the documents say.Â
Weisenburg and Thomas prepared from August 2024 to July 2025 to execute their plans, in which they allegedly intended to buy a boat, sail to Gonâve Island, kill every man on the island, overtake it by force, and take the women and children as sex slaves.Â
Gonâve Island has a population of about 87,000.
North Texas men plan coup
Timeline:
From July 2024 to May 2025, the suspects took Haitian Creole classes to prepare for the coup.
On Aug. 5, 2024, Weisenburg enrolled at the North Texas Fire Academy in Rockwall. This was allegedly an effort to gain training in useful skills for their plot. Â
On Jan. 7, 2025, Thomas enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. The document says he intended to use his military training for the planned overthrow of the island.Â
On Feb. 8, 2025, Weisenburg failed out of fire training.Â
On Feb. 20, 2025, Weisenburg bought tickets to Thailand at least partially to enroll in a sailing course to prepare for getting to Gonâve Island. The indictment says once he got to Thailand, he never enrolled due to the cost of the course.Â
On March 14, 2025, Thomas managed to change his Air Force assignment from a base in Germany to one in Maryland. The indictment says this was both to stay in the U.S. to continue planning the coup and to attempt to recruit homeless people from the Washington, D.C. area.Â
The suspects are accused of attempting to recruit others to help with the coup both online and in person on various dates from August 2024 to May 2025.Â
Weisenburg and Thomas are also accused of coercing a minor to engage in sex acts on camera on Aug. 31, 2024.Â
Weisenburg was arrested on July 3, 2025, on his charges.Â
What we don’t know:
No arrest date or mugshot for Thomas is publicly available.Â
FOX 4 reached out to the attorneys listed for Weisenburg, but they have yet to respond. No legal representation was found for Thomas.Â
Possible life in prison
What’s next:
Weisenburg and Thomas both face up to life in federal prison if they are convicted of conspiracy to commit murder in a foreign country.
They face 15 to 30 years in prison if convicted of production of child pornography.
This case is being investigated by the FBI, U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and Salina Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Locker.
The Source: Information in this article came from U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Texas, and federal court documents.Â