Wheel of Fortune announcer is FIRED after shocking photos show him visiting 'pedophilia' chatroom Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton has been terminated from his position after he was seen browsing a website with alleged pedophilic content during a flight from North Carolina to Los Angeles in May. The photos taken by a passenger show disturbing messages on the laptop screen, including one participant describing a restaurant as 'a nice hangout for kids'. The FBI has reportedly not yet contacted the woman who claimed to have witnessed Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton in an alleged 'pedophilia' chatroom, despite an LAPD officer telling her the agency would be in touch. In May, Thornton, 61, appeared to be browsing Lifeline.chat, a website intended for people experiencing pedophilic thoughts, in photos taken by a passenger during an American Airlines flight from North Carolina and Los Angeles. Law enforcement were subsequently summoned and questioned Thornton once the plane landed, and a lawyer for the announcer said his client 'did not engage in any illegal conduct, was not arrested, and has not been charged with any crime.' But the passenger who took the photos has yet to hear from the FBI, according to TMZ. Sources told the publication that the passenger provided a full statement to an LAPD officer, who told her the information she shared would be sent to the FBI. Yet sources say the witness was never contacted by the agency. The website also reports Thornton was briefly questioned by the authorities and left without receiving any charges or being arrested.Thornton Fired Over Chatroom ClaimsA representative for the FBI told TMZ on Friday: 'The FBI does not, as a matter of policy, confirm or deny the existence of investigations.' Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton has been fired after photos surfaced of him browsing a website with alleged pedophilic content. The photos were taken by a passenger during a flight from North Carolina to Los Angeles in May. They show Thornton, 61, looking at a laptop screen with disturbing messages, including one participant describing a restaurant as 'a nice hangout for kids', and mentioning a 'couple of cute boys and a hot little girl.' Another unsettling message reads, 'All-you-can-eat Boyffet. ' There is also a message referencing 'CP' which the passenger who took the photos believed to be short for 'child pornography. ' From the timestamps on the photos - which show Thornton wearing a Wheel of Fortune jacket - it appears he was in the chatroom for at least 57 minutes. Thornton's lawyer, Allison Hart, said that the voice actor entered the site by mistake.Lawyer Cites Suicide Prevention WorkHart said that Thornton had 'become active in suicide-prevention advocacy since losing a close family member to suicide two years ago, and he has spent time visiting chat rooms offering support to individuals suffering from suicidal ideation.' Hart said that Thornton often visited a suicide prevention website named 988lifeline.org and its chat forum, chat.988lifeline.org. Thornton claims he was sent a link to a different chatroom, lifeline.chat, by an acquaintance from the suicide prevention group. The site is intended for people experiencing pedophilic thoughts. Thornton claims he left the chatroom after realizing what it was.His lawyer added that the website he visited is 'not unlawful, there is no unlawful child pornography or other pedophilic content, and my client never viewed, downloaded or consumed any child pornography whether on that commercial flight in May or at any other time.Employment Terminated Immediately' Hart said that the announcer 'did not engage in any illegal conduct, was not arrested, and has not been charged with any crime. ' A representative for Sony Pictures told the Daily Mail that Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton's employment has been terminated, effective immediately, following a thorough investigation. The incident began with a passenger reporting concerns to law enforcement upon the flight's arrival at Los Angeles International Airport.American Airlines said in a statement that law enforcement met the flight upon arrival after being informed of concerns reported by a customer onboard.