Delta co-pilot arrested by federal agents after landing at SFO

Delta co-pilot arrested by federal agents after landing at SFO

Passengers reported seeing multiple federal agents push into the cockpit Saturday and arrest a Delta co-pilot on-board a flight from Minneapolis, shortly after it landed at the San Francisco International Airport.

SAN FRANCISCO - A Delta co-pilot was arrested and dragged off a flight from Minneapolis to San Francisco on child pornography charges.

Delta pilot arrested

Passengers reported seeing multiple federal agents push into the cockpit Saturday and arrest a Delta co-pilot on-board a flight from Minneapolis, shortly after it landed at the San Francisco International Airport.

A passenger, who is related to a FOX Television staffer and happened to be on the flight, recounted that the federal agents told passengers to stay in their seats as they pushed through first class and into the cockpit.

The co-pilot was handcuffed and pulled off the flight by the agents, some of whom were identified as Homeland Security investigators.

In a statement to KTVU, Delta deferred to law enforcement and did not comment on the pilot's arrest or what happened on the San Francisco-bound flight.

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Contra Costa County warrant

In an email Sunday, Homeland Security said they were assisting a local sheriff's office with the arrest. 

"HSI was assisting on an arrest warrant led by the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office," a spokesperson said.

KTVU has reached out to the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Department for more information on the pilot and the arrest, but has not heard back as of Sunday evening.

Why was he arrested?

What we know:

Fox News national correspondent Bill Melugin, citing a senior federal source, reports that the co-pilot was arrested by Homeland Security Investigations agents on charges of child sexual abuse materials.

Homeland Security confirmed to KTVU that the pilot was arrested on a warrant out of Contra Costa County, and an official with the Department of Homeland Security confirmed to the Associated Press on Monday that the pilot was arrested "on charges relating to child sexual abuse material."

What we don't know:

Officials have not identified the pilot and KTVU has not independently confirmed the arrest. It's unclear whether the pilot is based in the Bay Area, Minneapolis or elsewhere.