A Walton County court in the United States has sentenced William Zulock, 34, and Zachary Zulock, 36, to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the systematic sexual abuse of their two adopted sons, aged 12 and 10. Last week, the court handed down sentences of 100 years each after the gay couple pleaded guilty in August to a litany of charges.
The court convicted the men on counts including aggravated sodomy, incest, child molestation, and the production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
District Attorney Randy McGinley described the Zulocks’ actions as the creation of a “house of horrors,” where their “extremely dark desires” overshadowed any care or concern for the boys in their custody.
“Resolve Greater Than Depravity”
McGinley commended the bravery of the victims, who were in third and fourth grade at the time of the abuse. “The depth of the Defendants’ depravity, which is as deep as it gets, is not greater than the resolve of those that fought for justice and the strength of the victims in this case,” McGinley said in a statement. “The resolve I have seen from these two young victims over the last two years is truly inspiring.”
The abuse came to light in July 2022 after a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children led authorities to investigate a Google account linked to the uploading of CSAM. The IP address traced back to the Zulocks’ home in Walton County. Investigators found graphic evidence, including surveillance footage and cell phone material, that confirmed years of abuse within the household.
Exposing a Network of Exploitation
The investigation also implicated two other men, Hunter Clay Lawless and Luis Armando Vizcarro-Sanchez, who were prosecuted for their roles in receiving and distributing CSAM created by the Zulocks. Both men received prison sentences after agreeing to testify against the couple. Lawless pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of children, while Vizcarro-Sanchez admitted to pandering and computer theft.
Authorities discovered that Zachary Zulock had shared explicit content with others, further compounding the charges against him.
Justice and a Path to Healing
McGinley lauded the collaborative efforts of law enforcement in bringing the case to a resolution. “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,” he said. The sentence, he added, “guarantees that the victims will not have to worry as they grow older about their abusers being free.”
The District Attorney emphasized the significance of adoption as a means of providing homes to children in need but warned that such responsibility comes with accountability. “Anyone who does so and then abuses those children deserves extremely harsh consequences and decades in prison,” McGinley said.
The life sentences handed down to the gay couple aim to send a strong message, McGinley concluded: “Such actions will never be taken lightly.”
