A former American Airlines flight attendant was arrested on Thursday after being accused of secretly recording a young girl in a plane lavatory using his phone. The incident occurred on a flight from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Boston on September 2, 2023.
The girl discovered an iPhone that was affixed to the toilet seat with a large sticker that partially concealed it. The accused flight attendant, Estes Carter Thompson III, 36, was arrested by the FBI and charged with attempted sexual exploitation of children and possession of child pornography depicting a prepubescent minor.
According to prosecutors, investigators also found videos of four other minor girls using the facilities on planes where Thompson had worked. American Airlines immediately withheld Thompson from service after the incident, and he has not worked since.
“We take these allegations very seriously. They do not reflect our airline or our core mission of caring for people,” American Airlines stated. The airline has been fully cooperating with the investigation.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy described the alleged conduct as “deeply disturbing” and emphasized that no traveler should have to face or be concerned about such behavior. Levy stated that Thompson allegedly used his position to prey on and secretly record innocent children, including unaccompanied minors, while they were in a vulnerable state aboard flights.
The family of the 14-year-old victim from the September flight has filed a lawsuit against the airline. In Thompson’s iCloud account, investigators discovered videos of four other young girls in plane lavatories, ranging in age from 7 to 14 years old. These videos were made between January and August of the previous year.
Thompson is currently being held pending an initial appearance in West Virginia. If convicted, the charge of attempted sexual exploitation of children carries a sentence of at least 15 and up to 30 years in prison. The possession of child pornography charge carries a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison.
This horrifying incident serves as a reminder of the importance of passenger safety and the need for constant vigilance. It is crucial that airlines and law enforcement agencies work together to ensure the well-being of passengers, especially minors. To read more about this story, click here.
Image: An iPhone taped to the underside of a toilet seat on an American Airlines flight from Charlotte, N.C., to Boston, in September. (Image source: Lewis & Llewellyn LLP via AP)