Rustom Bhagwagar of Homestead, Fla., and Jennifer Spitz Powell of Pleasant Hill, Calif., were each charged in Contra Costa County Superior Court with 24 felony counts that allege the assaults began in 2018 when the girl was 10 years old or younger and continued until 2023, when she was no older than 14.

Bhagwagar, 34, remains jailed and appeared in court Wednesday. Powell, 45, was arrested Tuesday and also had a court hearing Wednesday. Both are being held in lieu of $15 million bail each.

“Our office stands firmly committed to protecting children and holding those who cause harm accountable,” read a statement from District Attorney Diana Becton. “Every child deserves to feel safe, protected, and heard when an injustice like this occurs. By pursuing these cases vigorously, we not only seek justice for victims but also work to safeguard our entire community from those who would prey on children.”

Publicly available online court records do not yet offer any details on where the alleged assaults occurred or how law enforcement believes Bhagwagar, Powell and the girl came to know each other. However, Oakland-based KTVU-TV obtained a court document that said Powell was Bhagwagar’s girlfriend at the time and the child was first known to her.

According to the probable cause statement, the station reported, Powell watched and even joined in the alleged assaulting of the girl.

The Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office said an investigation that began in April led to Bhagwagar’s arrest Saturday night while he was still on the aircraft upon its 9:35 p.m. PDT arrival.

A passenger on Flight 2809 told the San Francisco Chronicle in an email that “a group of people with badges, guns, and different agency vests/markings were pushing their way up through the aisle to the cockpit.”