Latest news with #Boston-bound
Time of India
24-07-2025
- Time of India
US flight attendant sentenced to prison: Estes Carter Thompson filmed underage girls in aircraft lavatory, taped phone under toilet seat
Representational image An American Airlines flight attendant was sentenced to 18 1/2 years in prison on Wednesday for filming girls inside the airplane's toilet. Estes Carter Thompson, 37, had confessed in March to taping his phone to the airplane's toilet lid, according to the New York Post. He filmed about five underage girls as young as seven years over nine months and had amassed a trove of child pornography. Thompson apologised at his sentencing, saying his actions were "selfish, perverse and wrong. During the sentencing, Boston US district court judge Julia Kobick called Thompson's act "appalling" and said that "kids' innocence had been lost" because of him. American Airlines flight attendant sentenced for recording teen on plane Federal prosecutors said Thomson had been 'recording videos of the children's bodies in one of their most private moments, and then storing, editing, and revisiting those videos, all for his own sexual gratification,' reported They further said that Thompson 'robbed five young girls of their innocence and belief in the goodness of the world and the people they would encounter in it, instead leaving them with fear, mistrust, insecurity, and sadness. " Thompson was arrested in September 2023 during a Boston-bound flight when he escorted a 14-year-old passenger to the lavatory, but told her to wash his hands, mentioning that the toilet seat was not working. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo The girl found an iPhone under the maintenance sticker, which said "seat broken" on the underside of the toilet seat. The girl took a picture of it and showed it to her parents. When confronted by the parents, Thompson hid inside the bathroom for the rest of the flight and deleted all the data from his phone. He was fired from his job immediately after the incident. Further investigations revealed that Thomson had a lot of maintenance stickers in his suitcase. His iCloud account was searched, which had recordings of four other underage girls and photos of a 9-year-old asleep in her seat, along with multiple AI-generated sexual images of children.
New York Post
24-07-2025
- New York Post
American Airlines flight attendant who admitted to secretly filming young girls in plane bathroom learns fate
A perverted American Airlines flight attendant who confessed to taping his phone to the airplane toilet's lid to film girls as young as seven years old has been sentenced to 18 1/2 years in prison. Estes Carter Thompson III pleaded guilty earlier this year to recording five underage girls over a nine-month period — as well as amassing a trove of AI-generated child pornography. The 37-year-old now-fired flight attendant apologized at his sentencing Wednesday, conceding that his depraved actions were 'selfish, perverse and wrong.' Advertisement 3 Perv Estes Carter Thompson admitted to secretly recording underage girls in airplane lavatories. Lynchburg Jail Boston U.S. District Court Judge Julia Kobick called Thompson's behavior 'appalling' and said the filmed kids' 'innocence has been lost' because of it. Federal prosecutors noted that Thompson had been 'recording videos of the children's bodies in one of their most private moments, and then storing, editing, and revisiting those videos, all for his own sexual gratification,' according to a sentencing memorandum obtained by Advertisement 3 One of Thompson's makeshift hidden camera setups, spotted by a 14-year-old victim. AP Thompson 'robbed five young girls of their innocence and belief in the goodness of the world and the people they would encounter in it, instead leaving them with fear, mistrust, insecurity, and sadness,' prosecutors said. The North Carolina native was arrested in September 2023 on a Boston-bound flight after he escorted a 14-year-old passenger to the lavatory — but asked to enter first to wash his hands, mentioning that the toilet seat was not working, prosecutors told the US District Court in Boston. 3 Two of the victims' families are suing American Airlines for allowing the recordings to happen on its watch. AP Advertisement The girl then found an iPhone crudely concealed under red maintenance stickers that said 'seat broken' on the underside of the toilet seat. The teen snapped photos of the hidden camera, returned to her seat, and showed them to her parents. The girls' father confronted Thompson, who hid himself in the bathroom for the remainder of the flight and deleted all of his phone's data. Investigators discovered more red stickers in his suitcase, and a search of his iCloud account revealed more recordings of four other underage girls — ages 7, 9, 11 and 14 — as well as photos of an unaccompanied 9-year-old asleep in her seat, and a hoard of sexual AI-generated images involving children. Advertisement He pleaded guilty in March to charges of attempted sexual exploitation of children and possession of child pornography depicting a prepubescent minor. Thompson will serve his sentence at FMC Butner in North Carolina and intends to undergo treatment for sex offenders. In addition to the 18-plus years behind bars, he must also serve five years of supervised release. Thompson was immediately fired by American Airlines after the incident, but the company is still facing a civil lawsuit from one of the victims. Paul Llewellyn, whose Texas-based law firm Lewis & Llewellyn is representing the child's family, told it's 'deeply troubling' Thompson was able to exploit his position 'in such a calculated and invasive way.' 'American Airlines owes these families — and the public — answers and meaningful reforms to ensure this can never happen again,' he said. With Post Wires
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
He changed laws and inspired youth. Now, this Miami Lakes grad is Harvard-bound
Former Miami Lakes Mayor Manny Cid still remembers the first time he met Maurits Acosta. He was a seventh grader with a pitch to prevent street flooding in the wake of Tropical Storm Eta. Cid told him to put it in writing. A week later, it landed in his inbox. Acosta organized support, presented before the town council, and defended the proposal at multiple hearings. It passed — modifying a 17-year-old ordinance which, according to Cid, has benefited dozens if not hundreds of households since its revision. 'Nobody questioned it until a seventh-grader said, 'We can do better,'' Cid said. 'That's civic leadership.' That same kid just graduated Hialeah-Miami Lakes High School on Tuesday and is now Boston-bound. He was accepted at Yale University, but he decided he wants to head to Harvard, a testament to the dedication of a student who made it his mission to show others the importance of being civically engaged. He's the pride of a community that just got out of his way and let him lead — even giving him an office inside his high school as a command center for his many projects and initiatives. At 18, Acosta's resumé is staggering: he served a one-year term as student advisor to the School Board of Miami-Dade County, served in multiple public service roles for the Town of Miami Lakes, and in 2022 launched a nonprofit, Virtuem Populo, dedicated to promoting civic engagement among youth across Florida. He was the 2025 Miami Herald Silver Knight recipient in Social Science. His alma mater, Miami Lakes Middle School, even named an award after him. ('He's a legend here,' said Miami Lakes Middle social studies teacher Lisa Deyarza, who helped Acosta organize the anti-flooding ordinance initiative.) Acosta worked on dozens of local initiatives and advised the mayor himself. Cid said Acosta's journey 'deserves a movie at some point,' and also offers a blueprint: Start in the classroom, expand to the school, then the community, county, and eventually the country. Born and raised in the Netherlands by his Cuban-born parents, Acosta moved to the U.S. at age 9. In the years since, he's woven himself into the civic fabric of Miami Lakes, driven by a blend of pride in his heritage and democratic idealism. A visit to Hialeah-Miami Lakes High School with Acosta quickly becomes a walk through his legacy. Ashwan Lawson, a security guard, greets him at the front desk with a laugh and a nickname: 'Marco Rubio!' The school has benefited from Acosta's ambition. Social studies teacher Rukayat Adebisi, who heads HML's legal studies program, first heard from Acosta in summer 2021 — weeks before he'd even started freshman year. Over the phone, he pitched her a vision: build the school its first-ever courtroom, a feature other schools had but HML lacked. 'He's telling me all his plans and I kept thinking, 'who is this kid telling me what we're about to do?'' Adebisi said. 'But I listened. I was like, 'Okay, we'll see where this goes.'' Once enrolled, Acosta successfully rallied a team of students to lobby the Miami Lakes Education Advisory Board and other entities, securing funding for the project along with a renovation of the school's planetarium. On Friday, four years later, the school is cutting the ribbon on its new courtroom. 'He's not a talker; he's a doer,' said Adebisi, who also serves on Virtuem Populo's board of directors. 'I think he challenges his peers to be better versions of themselves. I think that's his legacy.' Acosta's other feats at HML include starting a foodie club and launching the school's first-ever alumni association, which had its kickoff event earlier this month with over 100 in attendance, according to Acosta. 'Not to toot my own horn — but I feel like a lot of the work I've done, I've been able to bring up others with me,' Acosta said. By senior year, Acosta had three internship periods built into his schedule — time used for civic meetings, community events, and duties from his school board advisory role. Inside his office, which is nestled within the school's front office, walls are adorned with memorabilia: a proclamation from Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, framed photos with U.S. Senator Rick Scott and President Joe Biden and a Harvard tumbler beside a business cardholder. Among the keepsakes is a class assignment from a fellow Miami Lakes Middle School alum, declaring her dream: to become 'the next Maurits.' Acosta says his free time is limited — 'not a lot, but just enough.' He recently picked up golf ('not great at it,' he admits), and plans a summer trip to Nicaragua to meet the family of his girlfriend, Melany Alvarez, who's heading to Florida State University to study sociology. She preceded him as student body president and captained the dance team at HML. Are they HML's power couple? 'I think so, yeah. A little bit,' Acosta said. Acosta, who leaves for Boston in August, is unsure about where exactly his career path is headed. He's still considering whether he wants to study law or government at Harvard, but he said he's sure of one thing: 'I want to live a life dedicated to public service.' Asked about whether his name would one day appear on a Florida ballot, Acosta said 'maybe.' 'I definitely envision myself one day coming back to Miami and serving this community that's opened its doors to me and my family,' he said. Acosta's passion for public service is rooted, in part, by a sense of responsibility stemming from his family's experiences living in Cuba. Although his parents, Sergio and Anet, left Cuba decades ago, Acosta still has family in the country. His parents met in the Netherlands in the late 1990s, when his father was working as a radio journalist and producer. When his employer, Radio Netherlands, faced federal funding cuts, the family made the decision to move to U.S. The hardest part of emigrating was convincing the then 9-year-old Maurits, his father said, but the move ultimately 'went well for all of us, but especially for him.' 'I think the Phenomenon Maurits Acosta will continue to grow and expand.' Sergio Acosta said. 'I wait for it with curiosity. After all, he's only 18 years old.' He's already primed the next generation of Miami-Dade changemakers. At Virtuem Populo, the executive director-elect is Clint John Jr., a bespectacled, bowtie-wearing eighth grader got involved two years ago after cold-messaging Acosta. Within months, he was assistant deputy director. 'He saw something in me that I didn't see myself,' John said. 'To bring me into the organization — that right there was a changemaker for me.' Just like he brought John into the fold, Acosta has spent much of high school pushing his peers to take themselves seriously and take action. His message has been consistent: don't wait for permission — do the work. That spirit was on full display Tuesday night, when Acosta delivered his valedictorian speech at Hialeah-Miami Lakes High School's graduation ceremony. Speaking to an audience of hundreds at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center at FIU, told his peers that they had 'proved to the world that greatness doesn't require privilege, only purpose.' 'We are students who speak Spanish in the hallway and dream of a better tomorrow,' Acosta said. 'We are the children of field workers, teachers, mechanics, nurses, undocumented laborers and silent heroes. And somehow, despite everything, we made it.' Do you know an unsung hero in South Florida? Nominate them in the form below. If you can't see the form, click here to fill it out.
Miami Herald
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
He changed laws and inspired youth. Now, this Miami Lakes grad is Harvard-bound
Former Miami Lakes Mayor Manny Cid still remembers the first time he met Maurits Acosta. He was a seventh grader with a pitch to prevent street flooding in the wake of Tropical Storm Eta. Cid told him to put it in writing. A week later, it landed in his inbox. Acosta organized support, presented before the town council, and defended the proposal at multiple hearings. It passed — modifying a 17-year-old ordinance which, according to Cid, has benefited dozens if not hundreds of households since its revision. 'Nobody questioned it until a seventh-grader said, 'We can do better,'' Cid said. 'That's civic leadership.' That same kid just graduated Hialeah-Miami Lakes High School on Tuesday and is now Boston-bound. He was accepted at Yale University, but he decided he wants to head to Harvard, a testimony to the dedication of a student who made it his mission to show others the importance of being civically engaged. He's the pride of a community that just got out of his way and let him lead — even giving him an office inside his high school as a command center for his many projects and initiatives. At 18, Acosta's resumé is staggering: he served a one-year term as student advisor to the School Board of Miami-Dade County, served in multiple public service roles for the Town of Miami Lakes, and in 2022 launched a nonprofit, Virtuem Populo, dedicated to promoting civic engagement among youth across Florida. His alma mater, Miami Lakes Middle School, even named an award after him. ('He's a legend here,' said Miami Lakes Middle social studies teacher Lisa Deyarza, who helped Acosta organize the anti-flooding ordinance initiative.) Acosta worked on dozens of local initiatives and advised the mayor himself. Cid said Acosta's journey 'deserves a movie at some point,' and also offers a blueprint: Start in the classroom, expand to the school, then the community, county, and eventually the country. 'Not a talker, a doer' Born and raised in the Netherlands by his Cuban-born parents, Acosta moved to the U.S. at age 9. In the years since, he's woven himself into the civic fabric of Miami Lakes, driven by a blend of pride in his heritage and democratic idealism. A visit to Hialeah-Miami Lakes High School with Acosta quickly becomes a walk through his legacy. Ashwan Lawson, a security guard, greets him at the front desk with a laugh and a nickname: 'Marco Rubio!' The school has benefited from Acosta's ambition. Social studies teacher Rukayat Adebisi, who heads HML's legal studies program, first heard from Acosta in summer 2021 — weeks before he'd even started freshman year. Over the phone, he pitched her a vision: build the school its first-ever courtroom, a feature other schools had but HML lacked. 'He's telling me all his plans and I kept thinking, 'who is this kid telling me what we're about to do?'' Adebisi said. 'But I listened. I was like, 'Okay, we'll see where this goes.'' Once enrolled, Acosta successfully rallied a team of students to lobby the Miami Lakes Education Advisory Board and other entities, securing funding for the project along with a renovation of the school's planetarium. On Friday, four years later, the school is cutting the ribbon on its new courtroom. 'He's not a talker; he's a doer,' said Adebisi, who also serves on Virtuem Populo's board of directors. 'I think he challenges his peers to be better versions of themselves. I think that's his legacy.' Acosta's other feats at HML include starting a foodie club and launching the school's first-ever alumni association, which had its kickoff event earlier this month with over 100 in attendance, according to Acosta. 'Not to toot my own horn — but I feel like a lot of the work I've done, I've been able to bring up others with me,' Acosta said. By senior year, Acosta had three internship periods built into his schedule — time used for civic meetings, community events, and duties from his school board advisory role. Inside his office, which is nestled within the school's front office, walls are adorned with memorabilia: a proclamation from Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, framed photos with U.S. Senator Rick Scott and President Joe Biden and a Harvard tumbler beside a business cardholder. Among the keepsakes is a class assignment from a fellow Miami Lakes Middle School alum, declaring her dream: to become 'the next Maurits.' Acosta says his free time is limited — 'not a lot, but just enough.' He recently picked up golf ('not great at it,' he admits), and plans a summer trip to Nicaragua to meet the family of his girlfriend, Melany Alvarez, who's heading to Florida State University to study sociology. She preceded him as student body president and captained the dance team at HML. Are they HML's power couple? 'I think so, yeah. A little bit,' Acosta said. 'Greatness doesn't require privilege, only purpose' Acosta, who leaves for Boston in August, is unsure about where exactly his career path is headed. He's still considering whether he wants to study law or government at Harvard, but he said he's sure of one thing: 'I want to live a life dedicated to public service.' Asked about whether his name would one day appear on a Florida ballot, Acosta said 'maybe.' 'I definitely envision myself one day coming back to Miami and serving this community that's opened its doors to me and my family,' he said. Acosta's passion for public service is rooted, in part, by a sense of responsibility stemming from his family's experiences living in Cuba. Although his parents, Sergio and Anet, left Cuba decades ago, Acosta still has family in the country. His parents met in the Netherlands in the late 1990s, when his father was working as a radio journalist and producer. When his employer, Radio Netherlands, faced federal funding cuts, the family made the decision to move to U.S. The hardest part of emigrating was convincing the then 9-year-old Maurits, his father said, but the move ultimately 'went well for all of us, but especially for him.' 'I think the Phenomenon Maurits Acosta will continue to grow and expand.' Sergio Acosta said. 'I wait for it with curiosity. After all, he's only 18 years old.' He's already primed the next generation of Miami-Dade changemakers. At Virtuem Populo, the executive director-elect is Clint John Jr., a bespectacled, bowtie-wearing eighth grader got involved two years ago after cold-messaging Acosta. Within months, he was assistant deputy director. 'He saw something in me that I didn't see myself,' John said. 'To bring me into the organization — that right there was a changemaker for me.' Just like he brought John into the fold, Acosta has spent much of high school pushing his peers to take themselves seriously and take action. His message has been consistent: don't wait for permission — do the work. That spirit was on full display Tuesday night, when Acosta delivered his valedictorian speech at Hialeah-Miami Lakes High School's graduation ceremony. Speaking to an audience of hundreds at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center at FIU, told his peers that they had 'proved to the world that greatness doesn't require privilege, only purpose.' 'We are students who speak Spanish in the hallway and dream of a better tomorrow,' Acosta said. 'We are the children of field workers, teachers, mechanics, nurses, undocumented laborers and silent heroes. And somehow, despite everything, we made it.' Do you know an unsung hero in South Florida? Nominate them in the form below. If you can't see the form, click here to fill it out.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Yahoo
Massachusetts man pleads guilty after attempting to stab flight attendant on flight to Boston
BOSTON (WWLP) – A man who tried to stab a flight attendant and open a door mid-flight on a Boston-bound plane in 2023 has pleaded guilty. Wales man sentenced to prison for distributing fentanyl Francisco Severo Torres, 34, of Leominster, was arrested at Logan International Airport in Boston on March 6, 2023 after he allegedly tried to open an emergency exit door during a United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Boston, and when confronted, allegedly tried to stab a flight attendant. Prosecutors say that about 45 minutes before landing, the flight crew was notified by an alarm in the cockpit that a side door between the first class and coach sections had been disarmed. A flight attendant found that the door's locking handle had been moved out of the fully locked position and into the 'disarmed' position and notified the captain and other flight crew. Another flight attendant said they saw Torres near the door and believed he had moved the door handle. Torres was approached about tampering with the door, and he allegedly asked if there were cameras proving their claim. According to court documents, the flight attendant then notified the captain that they believed Torres was a threat and that the plane should be landed as soon as possible. Witnesses say that Torres got out of his seat again and approached the two flight attendants who were standing near the door. Video taken by a passenger allegedly shows Torres yelling that he would 'kill every man on this plane' and 'I'm taking over this plane.' He then allegedly moved toward one of the flight attendants in a stabbing motion with a broken metal spoon, hitting the flight attendant on the neck area three times. Several passengers apprehended Torres and helped the crew keep him restrained until landing. Torres was taken into custody after the plane landed. The attendant was not injured. Torres pleaded guilty to one count of interference and attempted interference with flight crew members and attendants using a dangerous weapon. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 17th. The charge of interference and attempted interference with flight crew members and attendants using a dangerous weapon is a sentence of up to life in prison, up to five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
