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Travis J. Longo, 46, the former vice president of the Cazenovia Central School District Board of Education, resigned from his elected position on June 22 and remains jailed without bail on state and federal charges involving child sexual abuse material and sexually explicit communications with a minor.
New York State Police arrested Longo on June 18 on four counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Investigators determined he had engaged in a pattern of sexually explicit communications with a child under 12 years old.
A criminal complaint filed in federal court alleged that Department of Homeland Security investigators found child sexual abuse material on Longo’s iPhone 17 Pro Max, including images and videos depicting infants. The federal charges carry a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years per count.
United States Magistrate Judge Miroslav Lovric ruled June 23 that Longo would remain detained pending trial, finding he posed both a flight risk and a danger to the community, particularly to children. Longo’s defense argued he had strong community ties and no capacity to commit sexual acts, but the judge dismissed those arguments.
“The government is correct that there are 2 presumptions. … One is you’re a risk of flight and that you would continue to be a danger to the community if released,” said Miroslave. “I do find that both of these presumptions apply in this case.”
The investigation began when a mother reported to state police that she found explicit messages from Longo on her 11-year-old son’s phone. Court documents revealed that Longo, whom the reporting family knew personally, sent a message expressing a desire to engage sexually with the minor. The minor declined, and Longo responded dismissively.
Longo was elected to the Cazenovia school board in 2024. On June 22, the board set a deadline for his resignation, then voted unanimously that evening to begin formal removal proceedings after he missed the deadline. Longo ultimately resigned at 7:33 p.m. that evening. A statement later posted by the board revealed that it had previously unsuccessfully attempted to remove Longo from the board due to questionable conduct. The Cazenovia school board did not respond to The Maroon-News’ request for comment.
Following the board vote on June 22, members left the auditorium without taking public comment, prompting dozens of Cazenovia community members to hold their own informal forum. Residents like Roxanne Grime spoke to the fear and confusion among queer students for whom Longo — a queer rights advocate and founder of Cazenovia Pride — was a role model.
“A lot of kids knew him personally,” Grime said. “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, and it’s scary trying to explain to them that monsters hide in plain sight and sometimes you don’t know.”
At the forum, community members also emphasized that his alleged crimes should not reflect on the LGBTQ organizations he was associated with, or queer people in general.
“Travis Longo owns his actions, period,” said Andrew Frisbie, a former law enforcement officer. “His supporters are not responsible for his alleged criminal actions, and neither is the LGBTQ community.”
A poll today from CNY Central said 91% of Cazenovia residents think school board members should have stayed to listen to their concerns.
Longo’s work reached Colgate’s campus when he spoke at a Center for Women’s Studies brown-bag lecture about his experience as the first drag performer elected to U.S. public office. The November 2025 article has been updated with an editor’s note acknowledging the charges.
Authorities have said they believe there may be additional victims and asked anyone with information to contact New York State Police at 315-366-6000. The Maroon-News is following this case.
