NEW DELHI: American Airlines stewardess Estes Carter Thompson III, 36, was arraigned on Thursday on charges that she tried to secretly video record a 14-year-old girl using an airplane toilet in September last year. Authorities further revealed that Thompson had recordings of four additional girls using the restrooms on the plane where he was employed.
Thomson was arrested for attempted child sexual abuse and possession of child sexual abuse images depicting a prepubescent minor.
Thompson was charged and arrested in Lynchburg, Virginia, in January 2024. He has been in federal custody since then. Following the indictment by a federal grand jury, Thompson’s lawyer said he was unable to provide any comment.
On a flight from Charlotte to Boston on September 2, 2023, investigators said that halfway through the trip, a 14-year-old girl tried to exploit the restroom in the main cabin closest to her seat, but found it was already occupied.
Investigators said Thompson then informed her that a first-class restroom was available and accompanied her there. Before she entered the bathroom, Thompson allegedly mentioned that she needed to wash her hands and cautioned her about the broken toilet seat.
After leaving, the teen went into the bathroom and saw red stickers on the underside of the toilet seat lid, which was in the open position, officials said.
Investigators say Thompson hid his iPhone under the stickers to record the video. The girl used her phone to take a photo of the stickers and hid her iPhone before leaving.
Prosecutors also allege that hundreds of artificial intelligence-generated child sexual abuse images were stored in Thompson’s iCloud account.
A search of Thompson’s iCloud account revealed four additional incidents between January and August 2023 in which Thompson recorded a minor using an airplane bathroom. According to investigators, the people in the recordings were 7, 9, 11 and 14 years vintage at the time. The authorities informed the families of the people depicted in the videos, they added.
Attempted sexual abuse of children can result in a prison sentence of 15 to 30 years, while possession of images depicting sexual abuse of a minor during puberty can result in a sentence of up to 20 years behind bars. Both crimes are also punishable by a minimum sentence of five years to life of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 and a restitution requirement.
American Airlines previously released a statement saying the flight attendant was “immediately removed from service” and had been uncooperative since the call was discovered.
Thomson was arrested for attempted child sexual abuse and possession of child sexual abuse images depicting a prepubescent minor.
Thompson was charged and arrested in Lynchburg, Virginia, in January 2024. He has been in federal custody since then. Following the indictment by a federal grand jury, Thompson’s lawyer said he was unable to provide any comment.
On a flight from Charlotte to Boston on September 2, 2023, investigators said that halfway through the trip, a 14-year-old girl tried to exploit the restroom in the main cabin closest to her seat, but found it was already occupied.
Investigators said Thompson then informed her that a first-class restroom was available and accompanied her there. Before she entered the bathroom, Thompson allegedly mentioned that she needed to wash her hands and cautioned her about the broken toilet seat.
After leaving, the teen went into the bathroom and saw red stickers on the underside of the toilet seat lid, which was in the open position, officials said.
Investigators say Thompson hid his iPhone under the stickers to record the video. The girl used her phone to take a photo of the stickers and hid her iPhone before leaving.
Boost
A search of Thompson’s iCloud account revealed four additional incidents between January and August 2023 in which Thompson recorded a minor using an airplane bathroom. According to investigators, the people in the recordings were 7, 9, 11 and 14 years vintage at the time. The authorities informed the families of the people depicted in the videos, they added.
Attempted sexual abuse of children can result in a prison sentence of 15 to 30 years, while possession of images depicting sexual abuse of a minor during puberty can result in a sentence of up to 20 years behind bars. Both crimes are also punishable by a minimum sentence of five years to life of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 and a restitution requirement.
American Airlines previously released a statement saying the flight attendant was “immediately removed from service” and had been uncooperative since the call was discovered.
