Rustom Bhagwager. Photo: CCC Sheriff’s Department
Florida airline pilot was flying in; held on $5 million bail
By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff
Detectives from the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff Investigation Division have been conducting an investigation since April 2025 after receiving a report of sex crimes against a child. A Ramey arrest warrant was later secured for the suspect.
Through the investigation, it was learned that the suspect was an airline pilot and that he was due to fly into San Francisco
International Airport on the evening of Saturday, July 26, 2025.
At about 9:35 PM, Sheriff’s Office detectives, with the
assistance of Homeland Security Investigations, boarded the plane to arrest the suspect who is identified as 34-year-old Rustom Bhagwagar of Florida, born 12/15/1990. He was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility on five counts of oral copulation with a child under 10 years of age. He is being held in lieu of $5 million bail.
An inquiry of where the incidents occurred in the county was made. Please check back later for the response and any other updates to this report.
According to a San Francisco Chronicle report, Bhagwagar is a co-pilot for Delta Airlines. According to the Sheriff’s Department, the six-foot, three-inch tall, 220-pound is being held in the West County Detention Center
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Investigation Division at (925) 313-2600. For any tips, email: mailto:tips@so.cccounty.us or call (866) 846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
Well, at least they took him out of active circulation. If only Jeffrey Epstein’s victims had stepped up sooner!