A now fired American Airlines attendant has been charged with secretly filming young girls in aircraft bathrooms.
Estes Carter Thompson, 37, was charged with attempted sexual exploitation of children and possession of child pornography.
He could face years in federal prison.
He was arrested in Virginia and is expected to appear in federal court soon.
It came to light last year when a 14-year old passenger noticed an iPhone recording when she was in the bathroom on a flight from Charlotte to Boston.
Her family has since filed a lawsuit.
Further investigation by the Feds found footage on Thompson’s iCloud storage showing four other young girls using aircraft bathrooms.
They were aged from 7 to 14.
“The deeply disturbing conduct alleged here is something no parent or child should ever have to worry about when they travel,” said Joshua S. Levy, acting U.S. attorney for Massachusetts.
Thompson faces up to 30 years in prison if found guilty.
Once the allegations were first made in September 2023, American Airlines fired Thompson.
“We have been fully cooperating with law enforcement in its investigation,” the airline said.
