Texas males plotted coup to kill males, enslave ladies and kids, prosecutors say : NPR

Two males from North Texas have been charged over violent plans that included an armed coup on the Haitian island of Gonave, in accordance with the Justice Division.

Gavin Weisenburg, 21 years outdated of Allen, and Tanner Thomas, 20 years outdated of Argyle, together with different co-conspirators deliberate to homicide all males on the Haitian territory earlier than taking on the island, and enslaving the ladies and kids as “intercourse slaves,” in accordance with an indictment filed within the U.S. District Court docket for the Japanese District of Texas on Thursday.

“The co-conspirators carried out analysis, reconnaissance, recruiting, planning, and sought coaching to effectuate their plan,” the indictment reads. “It was the objective of the conspiracy to take navy management of the Island of Gonave by murdering all the lads on the island and capturing all the ladies.”

Each males are charged with conspiracy to kill or kidnap individuals in another country and face one depend of manufacturing baby pornography. They may face life in jail if convicted on the conspiracy cost. The kid pornography cost carries as much as a 30-year jail sentence.

Weisenburg’s legal professional, David Finn, informed NPR in an announcement on Sunday that he encourages everybody to “maintain their horses” and his shopper will plead not responsible.

“Whereas there may be some restricted factual foundation to the Authorities’s Press Launch, I am reminded that one thing could be considerably correct but wildly deceptive on the identical time,” Finn wrote in an e-mail.

Thomas’ legal professional John Helms stated in an e-mail to NPR late Sunday that his shopper will even plead not responsible and that his staff shall be “defending him vigorously in opposition to these costs.”

Federal prosecutors allege that Thomas enlisted within the U.S. Air Pressure in January 2025 to realize navy coaching that “can be helpful in finishing up their armed coup assault.”

Weisenburg in August 2024 enrolled within the North Texas Fireplace Academy in Rockwall, Texas, to coach for the coup, however failed out of this system practically six months later, in accordance with the indictment.

The boys additionally plotted to recruit and rent homeless folks from Washington, D.C., to overthrow Haiti’s authorities on Gonave, in accordance with prosecutors. In March, Thomas modified his primary coaching task from Ramstein Air Base in Germany to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland to facilitate homeless recruitment within the nation’s capital. A spokesperson for the U.S. Air Pressure didn’t reply on Sunday to an NPR request for touch upon Thomas’ navy service.

Prosecutors say Weisenburg and Thomas started planning the assault in August 2024 and communicated concerning the plan on social media. Each took Haitian Creole language coaching and researched ammunition and weapons, together with military-type rifles. The 2 deliberate to move firearms, ammunition and explosives by sailboat, in accordance with the indictment. Weisenburg allegedly traveled to Thailand to enroll in crusing faculty in preparation for the acquisition of the sailboat and voyage to Haiti.

Gonave Island is situated some 30 miles northwest of Port-au-Prince and prosecutors say it is dwelling to about 87,000 folks.