Walton County men sentenced to life in prison for sexually abusing adopted boys
William Zulock and Zachary Zulock
WALTON COUNTY, Ga. - Zachary and William Zulock were sentenced to 100 years in prison without the possibility of parole following their guilty pleas to multiple counts of aggravated child abuse and exploitation, according to District Attorney Randy McGinley, Alcovy Judicial Circuit. The sentencing hearing took place on Dec. 19 before Judge Jeffrey L. Foster.
William Zulock pleaded guilty in August to six counts of aggravated sodomy, three counts of aggravated child molestation, two counts of incest, and two counts of sexual exploitation of children. Zachary Zulock entered guilty pleas in October 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 for a person under 18.
The case began in July 2022 when the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding suspected child sexual abuse material (CSAM) uploaded from a Walton County IP address. Investigators traced the materials to the Zulock residence, where they discovered evidence of extensive abuse.
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The Zulocks, who had adopted two boys years earlier, admitted during interviews to abusing the children. Authorities seized over 7 terabytes of electronic evidence, including surveillance footage and cell phone records, documenting the abuse. Investigators also uncovered graphic text and social media messages discussing the crimes.
Co-defendants in the case included Hunter Lawless, who pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of children, and Luis Vizcarro-Sanchez, who was convicted of pandering and unrelated computer theft charges.
District Attorney Randy McGinley praised the efforts of law enforcement and prosecution teams for their commitment to securing justice for the victims.
"These two defendants truly created a house of horrors and put their extremely dark desires above everything and everyone else," McGinley said. "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."
McGinley also commended the resilience of the victims, noting their inspiring strength throughout the investigation and prosecution process.
The case involved extensive collaboration among the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, GBI Cyber Crimes Center, Walton County DFCS, and the District Attorney’s Office. Investigators and prosecutors emphasized their determination to ensure justice for the victims while sending a strong message against such heinous crimes.