On July 23, 2025, former American Airlines flight attendant Estes Carter Thompson III was sentenced to 18.5 years in federal prison for secretly recording girls using airplane lavatories while working on commercial flights in 2023. The sentencing, issued by the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, followed Thompson’s March 2025 guilty plea to attempted sexual exploitation of children and possession of child pornography depicting a prepubescent minor.
According to federal prosecutors, Thompson, of Charlotte, North Carolina, used his position as a flight attendant to direct unaccompanied minors and other girls to specific lavatories where he had covertly set up a cellphone to record them. One incident in September 2023 led to his arrest after a 14-year-old passenger discovered a phone hidden under a toilet seat lid, partially concealed by American Airlines stickers. The minor reported the incident to her parents, who notified the flight crew.
Following a federal investigation, prosecutors uncovered evidence of five separate incidents in which Thompson filmed minor girls using lavatories aboard American Airlines flights. Investigators also recovered images from his iCloud account that included AI-generated child sexual abuse material and images of a sixth child who was flying as an unaccompanied minor.
In her sentencing memo, U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley described Thompson’s actions as a devastating violation of trust that left victims with long-term psychological harm. The court imposed an additional five years of supervised release following Thompson’s prison term and recommended that he undergo sex offender and substance abuse treatment while incarcerated.
American Airlines confirmed that Thompson was immediately removed from service following the September 2023 incident.
Sauder Schelkopf Files Hidden Camera Class Action
Sauder Schelkopf filed a civil class action lawsuit against Jonathan Moyer and Empower Life Coaching & Counseling, asserting claims related to invasion of privacy, negligence, emotional distress, and violations of Pennsylvania’s consumer protection laws. The firm represents individuals who may have been secretly recorded while receiving care at the Quakertown location.
These cases underscore the urgent need for stronger safeguards to protect vulnerable passengers, particularly minors, traveling without guardians. Sauder Schelkopf encourages any individuals or families affected by similar conduct to contact our firm for a confidential case review.
Notable Achievements:
- University of Southern California (USC) Settlement: The firm, in collaboration with co-counsel, secured a historic $215 million settlement on behalf of female patients of Dr. George Tyndall, a USC gynecologist accused of sexual misconduct since the 1990s. This settlement is among the largest in sex abuse cases and includes provisions for systemic changes in reporting and investigating sexual abuse on campus.
- Ohio State University (OSU) Litigation: Representing former students and athletes, Sauder Schelkopf is involved in litigation concerning sexual misconduct by Dr. Richard Strauss, a former OSU doctor. In June 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear OSU’s appeal, allowing the case to proceed to trial.
- As of January 2025, Ohio State University has paid approximately $40.9 million to settle lawsuits from 162 men who alleged sexual abuse by Dr. Richard Strauss, a former team doctor.
- In June 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear OSU’s appeal, allowing lawsuits brought by alleged sexual abuse victims of Dr. Strauss to proceed.
- As of October 2023, five lawsuits involving 236 men remained pending.
- University of Michigan Settlement: The firm achieved a class action settlement against the University of Michigan, resulting in landmark institutional reforms addressing on-campus sexual misconduct.
- Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health Lawsuit: Sauder Schelkopf filed a lawsuit against Devereux, alleging sexual, physical, and emotional abuse of children in their care. The firm is seeking compensatory and other damages for the victims.
- Glen Mills Schools Abuse Lawsuit: The firm is representing former students of The Glen Mills Schools, a now-closed detention center, in a class action lawsuit seeking damages for physical and sexual abuse suffered during their time there.
Through these and other cases, Sauder Schelkopf has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to advocating for survivors of sexual abuse, achieving substantial financial settlements, and driving meaningful changes within institutions to prevent future misconduct.