GLOUCESTER CO., Va. — A former Gloucester County church employee is facing multiple child pornography charges, according to online court records, Virginia State Police, and Union Baptist Church.
Zachary Thomas Ramaglino, a former employee with Union Baptist Church in Hayes, Va., was arrested Sept. 4 and charged with 20 counts of possession of child pornography, court records show.
Virginia State Police say the case is still under investigation.
Union Baptist's Senior Pastor Jared Berry told News 3 Ramaglino served with the church for a year as a young adult student ministry and communications assistant, helping the student ministry director organize events.
Berry said Ramaglino left the church in January 2025 for disrespecting authority, failure to complete tasks, and dishonesty.
The church first learned of the charges against Ramaglino in July, Berry stated, and they told families at that time. They told the broader congregation later when it was clear that they would not impede the investigation.
Another former member of Union Baptist was arrested last month and charged with unlawfully filming people in public restrooms in Williamsburg.
Former Union deacon George Thomas West, 76, was arrested in September, when authorities allege that he filmed "thousands of males in public restrooms" in Colonial Williamsburg over three decades.
He was charged with 17 counts of unlawful filming of another person and one count of disorderly conduct.
If there's one thing we can learn from all of this, is that people that engage in this kind of behavior can look like anyone. They can be in churches, in schools, in homes, and anywhere. You cannot control what a person chooses to do with their personal life, all you can do is create safe environments where it is hard to do. I'm grateful that it doesn't appear anything has happened at the church as far as we know. We've done our best to be proactive and protect our church family as soon as we could every step of the way. I encourage every church, organization, and home to realize these people are out there. Be wise, parents talk to your kids, and never let any of this stuff slide or stay in the dark.
News 3 also reached out to Petsworth Baptist Church (PBC), the church Ramaglino currently attends, for a statement.
PBC officials said that once they learned of the allegations, they "suspended Zach Ramaglino from all church activities and prohibited any unsupervised access to children on church property or at church-sponsored events."
The church is cooperating with law enforcement as they investigate, and is encouraging anyone with information to get in touch with law enforcement.
Petsworth Baptist Church Press Release ICO Zach Ramaglino
Church Leadership Reaffirms Commitment to Child Safety Church Protection
The leadership of Petsworth Baptist Church was made aware that Zach Ramaglino, a current member of our congregation, was arrested and charged for possession of child pornography. We are deeply troubled by these allegations and want to assure our church that the safety and protection of all children remains our highest priority.
Immediate Actions Taken: Upon learning of the initial concerns, church leadership immediately suspended Zach Ramaglino from all church activities and prohibited any unsupervised access to children on church property or at church-sponsored events. These protective measures were implemented before any arrest was made.
Full Cooperation with Authorities: Petsworth Baptist Church is fully cooperating with law enforcement in their ongoing investigation. We have provided all requested information and will continue to support the investigation process in every way possible. Our Commitment Moving Forward: The safety of children in our care is sacred to us. We encourage anyone with information relevant to this case to contact local law enforcement immediately.
Support for Those Affected: Our hearts go out to all involved. We are committed to providing pastoral care and support resources to anyone in our church who may be affected by this situation. We ask for patience as the legal process unfolds and request privacy for all families involved during this difficult time.
