In a chilling case that has sent shockwaves through the state of Georgia, a couple has been sentenced to a century behind bars without the possibility of parole for the sexual abuse of their two adopted sons.
The Alcovy Judicial Circuit District Attorney's Office confirmed the sentence for William and Zachary Zulock, who had pleaded guilty to a litany of charges in August.
As reported by Fox News, William Zulock admitted to six counts of aggravated sodomy, three counts of aggravated child molestation, two counts of incest, and two counts of sexual exploitation of children. His spouse, Zachary Zulock, confessed to two counts of aggravated sodomy, three counts of aggravated child molestation, two counts of incest, two counts of sodomy, three counts of sexual exploitation of children, and two counts of pandering to a person under 18.
District Attorney Randy McGinley, in a statement issued on Monday, expressed his horror at the case. "Those involved with the investigation and prosecution of this case will never forget what they had to see and hear in this case," he said. "These two Defendants truly created a house of horrors and put their extremely dark desires above everything and everyone else. However, the depth of the Defendants depravity, which is as deep as it gets, is not greater than the resolve of those [who] fought for justice and the strength of the victims in this case."
The District Attorney also praised the courage of the young victims, who were in third and fourth grade at the time of the Zulocks' arrest. He described their resolve over the past two years as "truly inspiring."
The investigation into the Zulocks began after Georgia authorities received a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The tip-off reported suspected homemade child sexual abuse material (CSAM) uploaded to a Google account linked to an IP address in Walton County. Deputies from the Walton County Sheriff's Office discovered that the Zulocks lived with the victims who appeared in the CSAM.
On July 22, 2022, the Zulocks were interviewed by authorities and confessed to sexually abusing their adopted sons over a period. Electronic evidence, including surveillance footage from inside the house and graphic content on cell phones, was later collected by investigators, revealing multiple instances of sexual abuse.
McGinley expressed gratitude for the diligent work of law enforcement in bringing the case to a close. "The hard work of law enforcement put an end to the abuse suffered by the victims and this resolution will help the victims continue their process of healing. William and Zachary Zulock will now spend 100 years in prison without parole. This all but guarantees that the victims will not have to worry as they grow older about their abusers being free."
The District Attorney also emphasized the importance of adopting children in need, but warned that those who abuse such children deserve severe punishment. "The sentence imposed not only appropriately punishes these Defendants for their repeated selfish actions but also sends the message to the public that such actions will never be taken lightly," he stated.
The case also saw the prosecution and sentencing of two other men, Hunter Clay Lawless and Luis Armando Vizcarro-Sanchez, who agreed to testify against the Zulocks. Lawless admitted to receiving CSAM from Zachary Zulock and pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of children, while Vizcarro-Sanchez pleaded guilty to pandering to a person under 18 and computer theft. The case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance and the need for severe consequences for those who exploit the most vulnerable in society.
Login