Former American Airlines Flight Attendant Sentenced for Exploitation
A former flight attendant with American Airlines, Estes Carter Thompson III, was sentenced in Boston Federal Court on Wednesday for making secret recordings of minors, taking advantage of his position. He received an 18.5-year prison term followed by five years of supervised release.
According to federal prosecutors, Thompson targeted unaccompanied minors, directing them to bathrooms equipped with hidden cameras “for his own sexual satisfaction.” The prosecutor’s memo highlighted how he exploited his role, selecting innocent children and recording them during vulnerable moments.
“By abusing his trust, Thompson dictated the situations of these young girls, leaving them with feelings of fear, mistrust, and anxiety,” the memo stated. “In doing so, he robbed five young girls of their innocence and beliefs about their surroundings.”
Thompson was indicted in April 2024 and pleaded guilty in March 2025 to charges of attempted sexual exploitation and possession of child pornography. The incidents reportedly started in September 2023 when a 14-year-old girl found a cell phone taped under the toilet lid during a flight to Boston. Authorities confirmed that Thompson filmed at least four girls over nine months.
During the hearing, U.S. District Judge Julia Kovic remarked that Thompson’s actions were “crowdling,” stating that the victims lost their innocence due to his conduct. In a moment of remorse, Thompson described his actions as “selfish, evil and wrong.”
Paul Llewellin, an attorney representing one of the victim’s families, expressed gratitude for the lengthy sentence but criticized the airline’s response. “It’s troubling that American Airlines employees could leverage their roles in such calculated ways,” he said. Llewellin called for meaningful changes to ensure safety for future passengers.
In related news, American Airlines faced backlash after their legal team suggested one of the victims should have known about the recording device, which created further outrage. The girl had taken a photo of the phone and shown it to her parents, prompting her father to raise alarms onboard.
Thompson is set to serve his sentence at FMC Butner in North Carolina and will participate in specific treatments for sex offenders and substance abuse.
As of now, American Airlines has not issued any additional comments regarding this situation.
