Charlotte Flight Attendant Pleads Not Guilty to Attempting to Record Teen Girl in Airplane Bathroom

Boston: American Airlines Flight Attendant Denies Accusations

An American Airlines flight attendant, Estes Carter Thompson III, pleaded not guilty in federal court in Boston on Monday to charges of attempting to secretly record video of a 14-year-old girl using an airplane bathroom last September. Thompson, 36, from Charlotte, North Carolina, was indicted last month on one count of attempted sexual exploitation of children and one count of possession of images of child sexual abuse depicting a prepubescent minor.

Incident Details

Authorities allege that during a flight from Charlotte to Boston on Sept. 2, 2023, Thompson escorted the 14-year-old girl to a first-class lavatory and then left her alone inside. The girl discovered a hidden iPhone recording device beneath the toilet seat lid, which had been disguised with red stickers. She took a photograph of the device before leaving the bathroom.

Additional Allegations

Investigators also found recordings of four other girls, aged 7, 9, 11, and 14, using aircraft lavatories stored on Thompson’s devices. Hundreds of images of child sexual abuse generated through artificial intelligence were discovered in Thompson’s iCloud account as well.

Legal Ramifications

The charges of attempted sexual exploitation of children and possession of images of child sexual abuse carry significant penalties. If convicted, Thompson could face up to 30 years in prison for the former charge and up to 20 years for the latter. Additionally, he may be subjected to supervised release for at least five years, a fine of up to $250,000, and restitution.

Current Status

Thompson has been in federal custody since his arrest in January 2024 in Lynchburg, Virginia. American Airlines stated that he was immediately removed from service following his arrest and has not worked for the airline since the incident came to light. Thompson is scheduled to appear in court again on July 1.

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