Former American Airlines flight attendant, Estes Carter Thompson III, has pleaded guilty to secretly recording video of a 14-year-old girl using an airplane bathroom and possessing images of four other girls using the lavatories. Thompson guided the girl to a first-class bathroom on a flight from Charlotte to Boston, where he had concealed his iPhone to record her. The girl discovered the recording device and reported it to authorities. Thompson has pleaded guilty to attempted sexual exploitation of children and possession of images of child sexual abuse. His sentencing is scheduled for June 17, where he could face up to 30 years in prison for the exploitation charge and 20 years for possession of child abuse images.
Law firm Lewis & Llewellyn, representing the 14-year-old victim, commended the US Attorney’s Office for pursuing justice. The firm has settled a lawsuit with American Airlines on behalf of the victim and is preparing for a trial in another case involving a 9-year-old victim from Texas. Additionally, prosecutors found hundreds of images of child sexual abuse in Thompson’s iCloud account, some generated through artificial intelligence. American Airlines stated that Thompson was immediately removed from service upon his arrest and has not worked for the airline since.
The charges against Thompson also carry a minimum of five years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and restitution. The case has sparked outrage and concern over the safety of airline passengers, particularly children. Thompson’s guilty plea marks a step towards accountability for his actions and justice for the victims involved.
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