Former American Airlines flight attendant pleads guilty to filming girls on toilet
A former American Airlines flight attendant who filmed under-age girls while they used an airplane bathroom pleaded guilty to two felony counts of sexual exploitation of children and possessing child pornography depicting a prebubescent minor.
Carter Estes Thompson III pleaded guilty March 6 in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, according to the law firm Lewis & Llewellyn, which is representing two families of under-age girls who filed lawsuits against Fort Worth-based American Airlines. Thompson will be sentenced in June and will remain in custody.
Paul Llewellyn, lead attorney representing the families in their lawsuits against American Airlines, said in an emailed statement to the Star-Telegram: “We are pleased to hear that the American Airlines flight attendant who preyed on at least five young girls as they used the airplane bathroom has pled guilty for his depraved crimes. We commend the US Attorney’s Office for its work on the criminal case in bringing this felon to justice.”
American Airlines did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.
What happened
In September of 2023, a 14-year-old girl who was on a flight from Charlotte to Boston to visit her brother got up to use a restroom in the coach section where she was first in line. A male flight attendant told her to use the restroom in first class although she was first in line for the restroom in coach.
The girl complied with the flight attendant’s request. The flight attendant told the girl to wait because he needed to wash his hands before cleaning up trash. When the girl went into the restroom, she saw red stickers on the toilet seat and words that said toilet seat broken.
When the girl finished using the restroom, she saw a cell phone taped to the toilet seat with the flash turned on. The lens was also visible.
The girl took a photo before leaving the restroom. She also told her mother, who warned other passengers.
Thompson was also accused of filming other under-age girls using the restroom.