Two individuals are facing serious allegations of plotting to form a ‘homeless army’ and take over an island with the intent of subjecting its inhabitants to sexual slavery. Gavin Rivers Weisenburg, 21, and Tanner Christopher Thomas, 20, both residents of Dallas, Texas, are accused of devising a scheme to eliminate all male individuals on Gonave Island in Haiti and engage in sexual exploitation of women and children. The two men were formally charged in the United States with conspiracy to commit murder, maim, or kidnap in a foreign country, as well as the production of child pornography involving a minor.

According to federal prosecutors, Weisenburg and Thomas planned to acquire a boat and firearms, and then enlist homeless individuals in the District of Columbia to form a mercenary group. One of the suspects even went as far as enlisting in the US military to undergo training for a potential armed assault in pursuit of a coup d’état on the island.

Gonave Island, situated approximately 38 miles off the Haitian mainland, has a population of around 87,000 people spread over an area of about 290 square miles. Legal representatives for both defendants have announced their intention to plead not guilty. John Helms, Thomas’ attorney, asserted that there was no actual attempt by the accused to carry out the alleged plan.

Helms expressed skepticism about the prosecution’s ability to demonstrate the true intentions of Weisenburg and Thomas. While Weisenburg reportedly sought training at a fire academy in Dallas for the planned attack but was unsuccessful, he later traveled to Thailand with the intention of learning sailing skills, which he never pursued due to financial constraints.

Thomas, on the other hand, enlisted in the US Air Force and communicated to Weisenburg through social media about his military service supporting their shared scheme. As per the indictment, Thomas altered his assignment to Andrews Air Base in Maryland to assist in the recruitment of homeless individuals in Washington, D.C.

The US Air Force Office of Special Investigations was among the agencies involved in the probe, according to the US Attorney’s Office. The Air Force has not yet responded to inquiries regarding Thomas’ military service. If convicted, the defendants could face a maximum sentence of 30 years for the child pornography charge and potentially life imprisonment for the conspiracy charge.