By Germania Rodriguez For Dailymail.com and Alice Wright 8:29 p.m. January 20, 2024, updated 8:42 p.m. January 20, 2024
- Estes Carter Thompson III, 37, was arrested Thursday in Virginia
- The father of the 14-year-old girl Thompson allegedly secretly filmed in an airplane bathroom confronted him on the flight
- Thompson was charged with attempted sexual exploitation of children and possession of child sexual abuse images depicting a prepubescent minor
The father of a 14-year-old girl who was secretly filmed in a plane's bathroom confronted the male flight attendant accused of making the video.
Estes Carter Thompson III, 37, was arrested Thursday for allegedly trying to secretly record the teenage passenger while she used the restroom on the flight he was working on last September. She noticed a phone attached to the toilet and alerted her parents.
The girl's father then “ran to the back of the plane and there was quite a commotion back there,” attorney John Buric, who represented the victim, told Newsnation.
“Minor A’s father then engaged directly with Thompson and demanded to see his phone,” the affidavit filed against the guard states.
“He saw the color drain from Thompson’s face. “Thompson responded that he did not know what Minor A’s father was talking about,” the affidavit continues.
Estes Carter Thompson III, 37, was arrested Thursday for allegedly attempting to secretly film a 14-year-old female passenger using a toilet aboard a plane. The teen entered the restroom and saw red stickers on the underside of the toilet seat lid that read: One of the stickers read, handwritten in black ink, “INOPERABLE CATERING EQUIPMENT,” “REMOVE FROM OPERATION,” and “SEAT BROKEN.” Attorney John Buric, who represented the victim, described how the girl's father confronted the guard
Police also said the Charlotte, North Carolina, resident had footage of four other underage female passengers using the restrooms of a plane he had previously worked on.
Thompson was charged with attempted sexual exploitation of children and possession of child sexual abuse images depicting a prepubescent minor.
“The FBI did an excellent job of researching what they needed and executing their warrants. It was able to uncover a lot of information that we obviously haven't been able to uncover yet, but they're very happy that this guy is where he needs it to be,” Buric said Friday.
“They hope he stays there while these charges are pending,” he added.
Investigators said that about midway through the flight from Charlotte to Boston on Sept. 2, 2023, the 14-year-old got up to use the main cabin restroom next to her seat but found it was occupied.
Thompson then told her the first-class restroom was unoccupied and accompanied her there, investigators said. Before she entered the bathroom, Thompson allegedly told her he needed to wash his hands and that the toilet seat was broken.
After he left, the teen entered the bathroom and saw red stickers on the bottom of the toilet seat lid, which was in the open position, with the handwritten words “NON-WORKING CATERING EQUIPMENT,” “REMOVE FROM USE,” and “SEAT BROKEN.” “. According to court documents, there was ink on one of the stickers.
Underneath the stickers, Thompson had hidden his iPhone to record video, investigators said. The girl took a photo of the stickers and hidden iPhone with her phone before leaving. Thompson then immediately went back to the bathroom.
The girl told her parents, and her father confronted Thompson, who locked himself in the bathroom with his iPhone for three to five minutes before landing, investigators said.
The minor's parents also informed other flight attendants and the captain was notified. The captain then contacted the local police.
When the flight landed, police said Thompson's phone may have been reset to factory settings while he was locked in the bathroom.
A search of Thompson's suitcase turned up 11 stickers reading “Inoperable Catering Equipment,” according to investigators. A search of his iCloud account allegedly revealed four additional incidents between January and August 2023 in which Thompson recorded a minor using an airplane's lavatory.
Those pictured in the footage were 7, 9, 11 and 14 years old at the time, investigators said. More than 50 images of an unaccompanied nine-year-old were also found on his account, including close-ups of her face as she slept in her seat.
Police also said they found “images of AI-generated child pornography” on Thompson’s iCloud account.
Thompson was arrested in Lynchburg, Virginia, and will remain in custody in Virginia pending his initial court appearance. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date, officials said.
“The deeply disturbing conduct alleged here is something that no parent or child should ever have to worry about when they travel,” Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy said in a statement.
'Mister. “Thompson allegedly used his position to exploit and secretly record innocent children, including unaccompanied minors.”
American Airlines said in a statement that it was taking the allegation very seriously. They also said the flight attendant was “immediately terminated from duty following the incident in September 2023” and has not worked since.
“They do not reflect our airline or our core mission of taking care of people,” the statement said. “We have cooperated fully with law enforcement in the investigation as there is nothing more important than the safety of our customers and team.”
No phone number could be found for Thompson and it was unclear whether he has an attorney.
All of the minor victims involved in this matter have been identified and their families contacted by law enforcement, Levy said.
A lawyer representing the 14-year-old's family members, who have said they will sue the airline, said he was pleased an arrest had been made.
“It is also shocking to hear that he allegedly preyed on at least five minors while they were flying American,” Paul Llewellyn said in a statement. “It remains to be seen whether American Airlines will finally accept some level of responsibility.”
Investigators also said hundreds of AI-generated child sexual abuse images were also stored on Thompson's iCloud account.
The charge of attempted sexual exploitation of children is punishable by a prison sentence of at least 15 years and up to 30 years. The charge of possessing child sexual abuse material depicting a prepubescent minor carries a minimum prison sentence of five years and up to 20 years. Both charges also provide for a lifetime of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 and restitution.