A Delta Airlines co-pilot was arrested post-flight at San Francisco International Airport on charges of possessing child pornography, rattling passengers who witnessed the federal agents' boarding of the aircraft last Saturday night. The arrest was part of a coordinated effort by the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, detailed in a social media post, which was conducted with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Arrested was Rustom Bhagwagar, a 34-year-old from Florida, now facing five counts of oral copulation with a child under 10 years of age, as the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office informed the public. Bhagwagar, who was taken into custody shortly after the flight from Minneapolis touched down at approximately 9:35 PM, has been booked into Martinez Detention Facility with bail set at $5 million. Passengers described the event as tense, with a quote from Hoodline reporting, "A group of people with badges, guns, and different agency vests/markings were pushing their way up through the aisle to the cockpit," and it's clear the incident left many uneasy.
Investigations by the Sheriff’s Office started in April, upon receiving a report of sex crimes against a child. A Ramey arrest warrant was secured for Bhagwagar, leading to his apprehension. The ongoing investigation appeals to the public for further information, asking individuals to contact the Investigation Division or provide anonymous tips via email or voice message.
After Bhagwagar's arrest, further agents collected his personal belongings from the aircraft. The remaining pilot, in the wake of his co-pilot’s arrest, addressed the passengers, claiming he had "no idea what just happened," as recounted in a witness statement to The Chronicle. Delta Air Lines, responding to the event, declined to provide comments and directed all inquiries to law enforcement, leaving passengers with few explanations for the disturbing scene they had witnessed.
