Flight attendant pleads guilty to secretly recording a 14-year-old girl in plane bathroom - WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale
A former American Airlines flight attendant, Estes Carter Thompson III, has pleaded guilty to secretly recording a 14-year-old girl using an airplane bathroom, as well as having recordings of four other girls in similar situations. Thompson, 37, from Charlotte, North Carolina, faced charges of attempted sexual exploitation of children and possession of images depicting child sexual abuse.
The incident occurred on September 2, 2023, during a flight from Charlotte to Boston. When the young girl attempted to use the main cabin lavatory, she found it occupied. Thompson then offered to escort her to the first-class lavatory, claiming it was free. Before she entered, he made several misleading comments, including the assertion that the toilet seat was broken.
Upon entering the lavatory, the girl discovered red stickers on the toilet seat lid indicating that the equipment was out of service. Hidden beneath these stickers was Thompson's concealed iPhone, which he had used to film her. The girl took a photo of the stickers and the hidden device before leaving the lavatory to report the incident.
Paul Llewellyn, an attorney representing the young victim, expressed relief at Thompson’s guilty plea and commended the U.S. Attorney's Office for their work in bringing him to justice. Llewellyn's law firm has settled a lawsuit with American Airlines for the 14-year-old girl and is preparing for a trial in July concerning a separate case involving a 9-year-old girl from Texas.
Thompson is facing significant penalties, as attempted sexual exploitation of children can result in a prison sentence of 15 to 30 years, while possession of images of child sexual abuse carries a maximum sentence of 20 years. He is set to be sentenced on June 17. American Airlines has stated that Thompson was immediately withheld from service following his arrest and has not worked for the airline since.