A former American Airlines flight attendant received an 18-and-a-half-year prison sentence for secretly filming girls in an airplane bathroom. Estes Carter Thompson III was found guilty of recording young girls using a hidden phone taped to the airplane toilet lid. In addition to the prison term, he will serve five years of supervised release after completing his sentence.
Thompson’s disturbing actions came to light when a 14-year-old girl discovered the secret device on a flight to Boston. She noticed his phone hidden under a sticker reading “seat broken” on the toilet lid. The girl immediately took a photo of the setup and showed it to her father, who confronted Thompson. Authorities arrested him shortly after. He pled guilty to charges related to exploitation and possession of illegal images.
Investigations revealed that Thompson recorded five girls, ages 7 to 14, over a nine-month period. Police also found computer-generated illegal images and over 50 photos of a 9-year-old unaccompanied minor on his iCloud account. The judge in the case described his behavior as “appalling” and emphasized the tragic loss of the victims’ innocence. During sentencing, Thompson admitted his actions were “selfish, perverse, and wrong.”
American Airlines condemned Thompson’s crimes, stating these actions do not reflect their values or commitment to passenger safety. Meanwhile, Thompson plans to undergo treatment while serving his sentence at a federal medical center in North Carolina.
Furthermore, American Airlines faces a civil lawsuit filed by one victim’s family in Texas. The attorney representing the family praised the long prison sentence, ensuring Thompson can no longer harm children.
Still, he expressed sympathy for the victims, saying no family should suffer such trauma. This case serves as a grim reminder of the dangers of secretly filming girls and the importance of vigilance during travel.
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