BOSTON (WWLP) – An ex-flight attendant from American Airlines was sentenced on Thursday to 18 and a half years in prison for secretly recording minor female passengers in plane lavatories.
The sentence also includes five years of supervised release.
Estes Carter Thompson III, 38, hailing from Charlotte, North Carolina, admitted guilt in March 2025 to charges of attempted sexual exploitation of children and possessing child pornography involving a prepubescent minor.
“Mr. Thompson abused his trusted role as a flight attendant by exploiting innocent children. He directed them to a lavatory equipped for clandestine recording, later using those videos for his own sexual desire. His actions severely compromised the sense of safety and trust for five children, replacing it with fear, mistrust, insecurity, and sadness,” stated U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley in a news release. “We hope this sentence allows the victims and their families a chance to begin healing.”
On Sept. 2, 2023, Thompson was working as a flight attendant on an American Airlines flight when he attempted to secure his phone to one of the plane’s toilet seats in order to secretly record a 14-year-old girl who entered the bathroom, according to the release.
Officials say Thompson used a sticker reading “INOPERATIVE EQUIPMENT” to affix the phone to the underside of the toilet lid.
Thompson then went into the bathroom when she left to retrieve his phone. The minor then informed her parents of the incident, the release explains.
When her father and other crew members went to confront Thompson, he “locked himself in the lavatory with his iPhone and restored the device to factory settings — wiping all content from the phone,” officials said.
Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division, praised the teen in a news release, saying “Estes Carter Thompson thought he had a no-fail plan to sexually exploit children for his own gratification, until a brave 14-year-old girl thwarted his plan, and worked with us to put an end to his deviant behavior.”
Investigators later found the same “INOPERATIVE EQUIPMENT” stickers in Thompson’s luggage upon landing.
Investigators who examined Thompson’s iCloud account said the found evidence that he had recorded underage girls, who were 6, 9, 11, and 14 at the time, while they used the bathroom on flights in 2023.
Prosecutors said images from Thompson’s iCloud account also included more than 50 photos of a 9-year-old passenger who was traveling alone, as well as “hundreds” of AI-generated images depicting child sex abuse.
“This flight attendant’s disgraceful actions robbed five young girls of their innocence and caused significant pain and trauma that will likely be felt by these victims and their families for years to come,” Docks stated. “No sentence can ever make up for that but know the FBI and our partners are committed to protecting our most vulnerable from predators like him.”
