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SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — A co-pilot on a Delta Airlines flight from Minneapolis to San Francisco who was arrested upon landing at San Francisco International Airport has been identified. According to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, Rustom Bhagwagar, a 34-year-old Florida resident, was arrested at SFO Saturday night for sex crimes against a child.
According to law enforcement, Bhagwagar has been booked on five counts of oral copulation with a child under 10 years old. He is being held on $5 million in bail, sheriff’s office officials said on Monday.
Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff Investigation Division have been investigating Bhagwagar since April. They secured a Ramey arrest warrant for him and learned he was due to fly into SFO prior to Saturday’s arrest.
Following the arrest, in which at least 10 officers were seen charging the cockpit of the plane, initial reports indicated the charges were related to child sexual abuse material.
The flight, Delta Airlines Flight 2809, had just touched down from Minneapolis when Homeland Security agents and Contra Costa County Sheriff’s deputies boarded the plane. Passengers aboard the flight posted video online showing federal agents walking up the aisle of the plane.
A Delta spokesperson on Sunday deferred comment to law enforcement. However, on Monday, an airline spokesperson told KRON4 that, “Delta has zero tolerance for unlawful conduct and will fully cooperate with law enforcement.”
“We are appalled by reports of the charges related to the arrest and the individual in question has been suspended pending an investigation,” they added.
The arrest was made as part of an investigation by the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) official told KRON4. HSI assisted, but federal agents were on the scene primarily to give Contra Costa County deputies access to the plane to make the arrest.
Bhagwagar, who reportedly once resided in the East Bay, was booked into Martinez Jail.
The Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation remains ongoing.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
