Homeless Army Recruitment for Caribbean Invasion
Federal prosecutors have revealed disturbing details of an alleged plot by two American men to recruit homeless people as mercenaries for invading a Caribbean island. Gavin Rivers Weisenburg, 21, and Tanner Christopher Thomas, 20, both from Texas, are accused of planning to establish a regime where they would murder male inhabitants and force women and children into sexual slavery.
Failed Military Training and Sailing Ambitions
According to court documents, Thomas enlisted in the US Air Force in January, allegedly telling Weisenburg in social media messages that he joined the military specifically to gain skills for their planned invasion. Weisenburg reportedly enrolled in a fire academy near Dallas for similar training purposes but failed to complete the course.
The pair's ambitions extended to maritime skills, with Weisenburg travelling to Thailand to learn sailing. However, he found the lessons "too expensive" and ultimately never enrolled. Their plan involved purchasing a sailboat and firearms before recruiting from Washington DC's homeless population to form their invasion force.
Legal Defence and Serious Charges
Attorneys for both men have indicated they will plead not guilty to all charges. John Helms, representing Thomas, stated firmly: "They never tried to do any of this." David Finn, Weisenburg's lawyer, urged the public to "tap the brakes" before judgment, acknowledging that people describe the case as "the craziest thing" they've heard.
Both defendants face additional charges of persuading a minor to produce child pornography, which was discovered on their electronic devices. If convicted of the federal conspiracy to commit murder in a foreign country, they could receive life imprisonment. The child pornography charges carry minimum sentences of 15 years, with maximum terms of 30 years in federal prison.
The targeted island, Gonave Island off Haiti, spans 743 square kilometres with approximately 100,000 residents living in conditions of extreme poverty and famine. The remote location is only accessible by boat, which prosecutors say the men planned to exploit for their coup d'état attempt.
