The Zulock Pedophile Sex Ring That Happened in Georgia Is One of the Worst We’ve Seen

In August 2022, Married couple William Dale Zulock and Zachary Jacoby Zulock were indicted on charges of aggravated child molestation, aggravated sodomy, felony sexual exploitation of children, felony prostitution of a minor, and incest. The couple allegedly forced their sons to perform sexual acts on them and others who were willing to pay – both to view online and by people living in the Atlanta area. 

Townhall conducted a several month-long investigation into the shocking details surrounding this case. And the details are shocking. The two husbands, William and Zachary, have pleaded not guilty to these charges, but the evidence that has been disclosed so far does not look good. 

We won’t be covering the graphic details of the case, but rather how a gut wrenching case like this can even happen. Were there warning signs that a seemingly normal couple could be capable of such horrific crimes? 

As a disclaimer: We are not the investigators on this case. We may provide our insights from what we’ve seen in our years of investigations, but these are only speculations based on the details that have been disclosed to the public.

 

They Had a “Faster Than Expected” Adoption Process

You may be thinking, “How were there no red flags during the adoption process?” Couples and individuals looking to adopt a child spend several months and even years of waiting to add a new member to their family. But according to the Zulocks, their experience through the adoption process was “faster than expected.”

The adoption process can be a lengthy and tedious process, and a fast adoption process does sound more ideal, it also creates room for adoption scams and children being put into bad homes.

[RELATED: Understanding Adoption Fraud in Georgia] 

 Back in 2018, William and Zachary adopted two young boys, ages three and five and the time, from a Christian special needs adoption agency called All God’s Children, Inc. The two boys had been placed in the foster system after they were removed from their parent’s care due to their heroin addiction.

Child predators often seek out opportunities to lure or groom their victims. They often seek out victims who are most vulnerable to manipulation and exploitation. One of the grooming tactics they do to gain access to a child is through adoption or fostering. It is why background investigations are so important during the adoption process. 

 

Where The System Failed These Children

We do not know specifics of the case, and there is a gag order in place, so no information  but in our experience, reputable adoption agencies conduct thorough background checks and/or investigations to look for red flags. 

[RELATED: Background Check vs. Background Investigation]

And a background investigation would have raised a red flag in this instance. We do not know if the adoption agency looked into the couple’s background, but if they did, they overlooked a very crucial matter. According to the Town Hall investigation, Zachary had a past.

Town Hall reports, ”there was a 2011 probe into Zachary’s alleged pedophilic behavior when he was accused of luring a 14-year-old boy to a residence in Walton County… But, the 2011 child rape case was shut down and no charges were pursued against Zachary.”

In light of Zachary’s arrest for raping and sexually exploiting his adopted children, this 2011 case has been reopened for investigation. 

 

The Social Media Trail That Tied Them to Pedophilic Sex Rings

Social media is a great place to connect with friends and family, be a part of a community, and announce important life events. But there’s a dark underbelly to being able to connect with others from the safety of behind a screen. 

83% of active 2020 sex trafficking cases involved online solicitation. In the Zulocks’s case, they used social media to “pimp” their sons to other men in the Greater Atlanta Area and distribute pornographic pictures and videos of their sons. 

[RELATED: Recognizing Human Trafficking]

This case is heart wrenching, and one of the worst adoption cases in Georgia we’ve heard. As this case plays out, more details will come out. If you’d like to learn more about the Zulock case, or to receive the latest news, Townhall has a 4-part breakdown they found in their investigation. We will warn you, the case is graphic. 

If you or someone you know may be a victim of child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453).