Federal authorities have claimed that two Texas residents plotted a deadly takeover on Gonâve Island, the largest island in Haiti, allegedly driven by shocking aims.
According to a statement from the US attorney’s office in Texas, Gavin Rivers Weisenburg, 21 and a 20-year-old man are accused of scheming to take control of the island by force, recruiting people without homes from the nation’s capital, then killing all men and subjecting women and children to abuse.
It remains unclear why the men chose this island, with a population of roughly 85,000 to 100,000 people. In preparation for their scheme, they acquired Haitian Creole language skills and started enlisting individuals to aid the invasion.
A co-conspirator, the younger suspect, had enlisted in the American military specifically to acquire combat training useful for the conspiracy.
Additionally, the defendants face charges of producing child pornography, which could result in prison sentences of decades behind bars if found guilty.
The more serious charge, a conspiracy charge to murder, maim, or kidnap in a another nation, carries a potential imprisonment for life upon conviction.
As detailed in the indictment, the defendants began hatching the scheme in mid-2024 and continued until July of this year. Their goals included acquiring a vessel, arms and supplies, and attending instructional programs.
One suspect was taken into custody in the summer, after reportedly going abroad to learn sailing.
The other individual had changed his air force station to a nearby state to facilitate recruiting homeless people from Washington DC.
This investigation was jointly handled by the FBI, the US air force office of special investigations, and a municipal department.
A past report highlighted that the island is without sufficient legal infrastructure, leading to concerns from inhabitants about unaddressed crime. The area is also described as isolated from mainland Haiti.
