A former American Airlines flight attendant is facing charges of attempting to sexually exploit children and possession of child pornography after a disturbing incident involving minors on board a flight. Estes Carter Thompson III, 36, from Charlotte, N.C., was indicted following allegations that he covertly filmed a 14-year-old passenger using an aircraft lavatory back in September 2023.
According to the Department of Justice, Thompson was arrested in January 2024 and has since been held in federal custody. On a flight from Charlotte to Boston, he allegedly manipulated a minor into using a first-class lavatory equipped with his hidden iPhone, intended to secretly record her. The indictment also mentions Thompson later appeared to quickly restore his iPhone to factory settings after being confronted about the incident upon the flight's arrival.
Further investigations uncovered four more instances between January and August 2023 in which Thompson recorded minors using aircraft lavatories. Searches also revealed over 50 images of an unaccompanied nine-year-old minor, along with hundreds of AI-generated child pornography images on his iCloud account. These reprehensible acts have since been confirmed by federal prosecutors, as all minor victims involved have been identified and their families notified.
Authorities describe the case as particularly heinous due to the violation of trust and the predatory use of his occupation to facilitate these crimes. "The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law," the Justice Department's statement emphasizes. If convicted, Thompson faces a substantial sentence that could see him behind bars for a lengthy period of time. The indictment by the grand jury signals a grim reminder of the realities of child exploitation.
This case highlights the ongoing efforts of Project Safe Childhood, which targets the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The collaboration of federal, state, and local resources plays a crucial role in bringing perpetrators to justice and safeguarding the innocence of youth. Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy, along with special agents from the FBI and Massachusetts State Police, has been instrumental in bringing forward the charges against Thompson in an ongoing battle to protect children and bring criminals to justice.
