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Delta pilot, ex appear in court on charges they abused her daughter
Delta Airlines pilot Rustom Bhagwagar and his ex-girlfriend made their first court appearance on charges they sexually abused her daughter for years.
SAN FRANCISCO - A former Delta pilot and his ex-girlfriend have been convicted of sexually abusing the woman’s young daughter for years, Contra Costa County prosecutors said.
Rustom Bhagwagar, 35, of Florida, and Jennifer Spitz Powell, 45, of Walnut Creek, were each convicted Tuesday on eight counts of oral copulation or sexual penetration of a child and forcible lewd acts with a minor, according to District Attorney Diana Becton.
Abuse began when girl was 7
The backstory:
Evidence presented to jurors showed that the abuse began in October 2017, when the victim was 7, and continued through Oct. 16, 2022, while Powell was in a relationship with Bhagwagar.
The victim is Powell’s daughter.
Bhagwagar and Powell were tried using a rare dual-jury format. Each jury heard only evidence related to the defendant it was assigned to.
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Pilot arrested at SFO
At the time of Bhagwagar’s arrest last year, he was a Delta employee.
Federal agents arrested him at San Francisco International Airport shortly after his plane landed. Delta later ended its relationship with Bhagwagar.
Authorities learned of the allegations in April 2025.
According to a probable cause statement, Powell knew her daughter was being sexually abused by her then-boyfriend. Court documents allege Powell watched and participated in the sexual abuse.
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Delta pilot arrested at SFO on child sex abuse charges
A pilot was arrested aboard a Delta Air Lines flight and federal agents took him into custody from the cockpit after the plane landed at San Francisco International Airport.
Defendants face life in prison
What's next:
Bhagwagar and Powell each face a maximum sentence of 230 years to life in state prison.
Both remain in custody at the Martinez Detention Facility. They will be sentenced at a later date.
The Source: This story is based on information from the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office, court documents, and earlier reporting.