Ex-girlfriend of Delta pilot arrested on plane also charged, accused of joining in abuse of her daughter
Jennifer Powell, 45, was charged Tuesday with allegedly joining his ex, Rustom Bhagawar, in sexually abusing her daughter — who did not live with her– from when she was 6 until she was 11, according to a probable cause statement obtained by KTVU.
The mom not only knew her daughter was being abused, she watched — and even participated, according to the documents.
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3 Rustom Bhagwagar, 34, was cuffed by federal officers Saturday night onboard Delta Flight 2809.
Contra Costa Sheriff
Bhagawar, 34, was detained in shocking scenes Saturday when federal agents swarmed his plane when it landed in San Francisco, removing him from the cockpit in handcuffs.
Officials then revealed that the pilot faces 24 felony counts of engaging in sex acts with a child age 10 or under, as well as oral copulation, lewd acts and aggravated sexual assault, all on a child.
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3 The flight had just touched down in San Francisco from Minneapolis.
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Powell is now also facing a slew of child sexual abuse charges — and both she and her pilot ex face up to 15 years in prison if convicted, the report said.
Bhagwagar, of Florida, had been under investigation since April when Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office received a tip about child sex crimes.
Delta confirmed that Bhagwagar has been suspended from the airline pending the investigation.
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'Delta has zero tolerance for unlawful conduct and will fully cooperate with law enforcement,' a spokesperson told KTVU. 'We are appalled by reports of the charges related to the arrest and the individual in question has been suspended pending an investigation.'
3 Federal agents were seen entering the cockpit to make the arrest, shocking crew and passengers.
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Bhagwagar and Powell are both being held at the Martinez Detention Center on a $15 million bond. Bhagwagar is scheduled to be arraigned on July 30.
'Our office stands firmly committed to protecting children and holding those who cause harm accountable,' District Attorney Diana Becton said in a statement. 'Every child deserves to feel safe, protected, and heard when an injustice like this occurs.'
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