Former American Airlines flight attendant hid phone in toilet to film young girls.

A former American Airlines flight attendant has been sentenced to eighteen and a half years in federal prison after pleading guilty to filming underage girls in aircraft lavatories. Estes Carter Thompson, 37, was arrested after a 14-year-old girl found his phone taped under a toilet seat on a Boston-bound flight in 2023.

Thompson had deliberately directed her to the first-class restroom, claiming the main cabin lavatories were all full. The phone was hidden under red maintenance stickers. The girl took a photo and alerted her parents, triggering a federal investigation.

Authorities later discovered Thompson had filmed at least seven girls between the ages of 7 and 14 over nine months using similar hidden setups. Investigators also found Al-generated child abuse material in his possession. Prosecutors described his actions as a calculated pattern of exploitation, calling the footage "deliberate and edited for personal gratification".

American Airlines immediately removed him from service and later confirmed he was fired. The airline now faces a lawsuit alleging it failed to act on earlier warnings and allowed the abuse to happen.

Thompson will serve his sentence at FMC Butner in North Carolina and undergo rehabilitation.