A New York school board vice president and local drag performer is facing federal child pornography charges after investigators say a search of his cellphone uncovered explicit material depicting the sexual abuse of children, including infants.
Travis Longo, 46, of Cazenovia, New York, was first arrested by the New York State Police on June 18 on four counts of endangering the welfare of a child. According to state authorities, Longo allegedly engaged in a pattern of sexually explicit communications with a child under the age of 12.
Two days later, federal prosecutors announced additional charges after investigators examined Longo’s cellphone.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, investigators found “numerous images and videos of child pornography,” including “several videos depicting the sexual abuse of infants” that authorities allege Longo received through an internet-based messaging application.
BREAKING: Drag queen school board member who was just arrested for alleged sexually explicit communication with a child, was a GUEST SPEAKER at the Democratic Party PA Caucus in 2024. pic.twitter.com/upX6GNpiSd
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) June 19, 2026
Federal prosecutors subsequently charged him with receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material.
“As school board vice president, the defendant was entrusted by parents and the community to help protect and serve the interests of children,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney John Sarcone said in a statement. “Instead, as alleged, he exploited his position of public trust while actively seeking out and accumulating images and videos depicting the heinous sexual abuse of children.”
Sarcone praised Homeland Security Investigations and the New York State Police for their work and said his office would seek to keep Longo incarcerated.
Anthony Patrone, acting special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations Buffalo, said the allegations strike “at the heart of parents’ trust and fears.”
“For HSI Syracuse and our law enforcement partners, protecting children is not just a duty—it’s personal,” Patrone said.
Longo is being held without bail.
During a detention hearing, U.S. Magistrate Judge Miroslav Lovric agreed with prosecutors that the statutory presumptions for detention applied.
“The government is correct that there are two presumptions… one is you’re a risk of flight and that you would continue to be a danger to the community if released,” Lovric said, according to WHAM-TV. “I do find that both of these presumptions apply in this case.”
Longo served as vice president of the Cazenovia Central School District Board of Education. Following his arrest, the board issued a public statement expressing shock over the allegations.
“Our school has been betrayed as much as any other organization in our community with which he was involved,” the board stated.
Officials also explained that under applicable procedures, they must wait for Longo to resign or pursue the legal process available to remove him from office.
Outside the school district, Longo was well known in the community. He founded Cazenovia Pride Fest, and organizers announced following his arrest that this year’s event had been canceled and the organization would be dissolved.
Residents expressed disbelief over the allegations.
“A lot of kids knew him personally,” resident Roxanne Grime told WSTM-TV. “He was a mentor in the LGBTQ community here and the kids know him. They’re scared. They’re confused because they knew him personally.”
She added, “It’s scary trying to explain to them that monsters hide in plain sight and sometimes you don’t know.”
Drag queen NY school board vice president, who said during an interview that the last thing he is is a predator, has been arrested for possessing CSAM involving infants.
Travis Longo served as Vice President of the Cazenovia School Board & founded Cazenovia Pride.
Longo is… pic.twitter.com/hkqyYSsXYK
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) June 23, 2026
Longo had also spoken publicly about his work as a drag performer. During a November appearance at Colgate University, he described drag as a way of challenging social expectations.
“Drag is all about tearing down social norms,” Longo said, according to The Colgate Maroon-News. “None of it is real. We are subscribing to these things, and I find such joy in doing that.”
He also said he hoped living openly would encourage young people who felt unsupported.
At the same event, Colgate University program coordinator Anna Hooper praised Longo’s community involvement, citing his work on the school board and with local LGBTQ organizations.
The criminal charges against Longo remain allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. If convicted on the federal child pornography charges, he could face substantial prison time under federal sentencing laws.
