A high-ranking school board official from central New York is facing severe federal charges after law enforcement officials discovered explicit material involving minors on his personal phone. Travis J. Longo, 46, who serves as the vice president of the Cazenovia Central School District’s Board of Education, made his initial appearance in a Syracuse federal court on Saturday, June 20, 2026.
The announcement of the charges was made jointly by federal and state authorities.
The case against Longo developed rapidly after investigators with the New York State Police seized and searched his cell phone on June 18, 2026. According to the federal complaint, authorities uncovered a collection of child pornography, including multiple videos showing the sexual abuse of infants. Investigators allege that Longo received these files from other users over an internet-based messaging application.
Longo appeared via video before United States Magistrate Judge Miroslav Lovric and was ordered detained while the legal process moves forward. The legal stakes for the school board official are high. The charge of receiving child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, and both the receipt and possession charges carry a maximum statutory penalty of up to 20 years behind bars.
Longo could also face fines reaching $250,000, supervised release extending from five years to life, and a mandatory requirement to register as a sex offender upon release. A judge will ultimately determine the sentence based on federal statutes and sentencing guidelines if Longo is convicted.
The arrest drew sharp responses from federal and state law enforcement leaders.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III emphasized the violation of community trust, stating, “As school board vice president, the defendant was entrusted by parents and the community to help protect and serve the interests of children. 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. This shocking betrayal makes his conduct all the more reprehensible. Thanks to the great investigative work of HSI and the New York State Police, he is now behind bars where he belongs and where my office will work tirelessly to ensure he stays for a long time.”
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the New York State Police collaborated closely on the investigation. Anthony Patrone, the Acting Special Agent in Charge for HSI Buffalo, noted how deeply these cases affect local residents.
“These allegations against a school board vice president strike at the heart of parents’ trust and fears,” Patrone said. “For HSI Syracuse and our law enforcement partners, protecting children is not just a duty—it’s personal. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will aggressively pursue anyone who endangers children, so parents can send their kids to school knowing they are safe.”
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