US flight attendant indicted in try and document teen in airplane rest room

An American Airways flight attendant was indicted on Thursday after authorities mentioned he tried to secretly document video of a 14-year-old woman utilizing an airplane rest room final September. Authorities additionally alleged that Estes Carter Thompson III had 4 separate movies which confirmed ladies utilizing toilets on an plane the place he labored.

The 36-year-old Thompson of Charlotte, North Carolina, was indicted on one rely of tried sexual exploitation of kids and one rely of possession of photos of kid sexual abuse depicting a prepubescent minor.

Thompson was charged and arrested in January 2024 in Lynchburg, Virginia. He has been in federal custody since. A lawyer for Thompson mentioned after the indictment by a federal grand jury that he was unable to remark.

Investigators mentioned that about halfway via a 2 September 2023 flight from Charlotte to Boston, the 14-year-old on the middle of the case received up to make use of the principle cabin bathroom nearest to her seat however discovered it was occupied.

Thompson then instructed her that the first-class bathroom was unoccupied and escorted her there, investigators mentioned. Earlier than she entered the lavatory, Thompson allegedly instructed her he wanted to scrub his palms and that the bathroom seat was damaged, they mentioned.

After he left, the teenager entered the lavatory and he or she noticed crimson stickers on the underside of the bathroom seat lid, which was within the open place, officers mentioned.

Beneath the stickers, Thompson had hid his iPhone to document a video, investigators mentioned. The woman used her telephone to take an image of the stickers and hid iPhone earlier than leaving.

Prosecutors additionally allege a whole lot of photos of kid sexual abuse generated via synthetic intelligence had been discovered saved on Thompson’s iCloud account.

Tried sexual exploitation of kids carries a sentence of 15 to 30 years in jail. Possessing photos of sexual abuse of a prepubescent minor can imply as much as 20 years in jail.

Each expenses additionally present for no less than 5 years and as much as a lifetime of supervised launch, a superb of as much as $250,000 and restitution.

American Airways beforehand issued an announcement saying the flight attendant was “instantly withheld from service” and had not labored for the reason that telephone was found.

A search of Thompson’s iCloud account revealed 4 extra situations between January and August 2023 wherein Thompson recorded a minor utilizing the rest room on an plane, in response to investigators.

These depicted within the recordings had been seven, 9, 11 and 14 years outdated on the time, they mentioned. Their households have been contacted by police, investigators mentioned.

• Within the US, name or textual content the Childhelp abuse hotline on 800-422-4453 or go to their web site for extra assets and to report youngster abuse or DM for assist. For grownup survivors of kid abuse, assist is out there at ascasupport.org. Within the UK, the NSPCC gives assist to youngsters on 0800 1111, and adults involved a couple of youngster on 0808 800 5000. The Nationwide Affiliation for Folks Abused in Childhood (Napac) gives assist for grownup survivors on 0808 801 0331. In Australia, youngsters, younger adults, mother and father and lecturers can contact the Children Helpline on 1800 55 1800, or Bravehearts on 1800 272 831, and grownup survivors can contact Blue Knot Basis on 1300 657 380. Different sources of assist will be discovered at Little one Helplines Worldwide