GLOUCESTER POINT (VA)
Baptist Press [Nashville TN]
October 8, 2025
By Scott Barkley
GLOUCESTER CO., Va. (BP) – A Virginia church is cooperating with authorities over a second case of unlawful sexual conduct by a former leader in as many months.
Zachary Thomas Ramaglino served Union Baptist Church in Hayes for a year as an assistant in the young adult student ministry and communications assistant. That included helping the student ministry director organize events, according to local reports. He was arrested on Sept. 4 on 20 counts of possession of child pornography.
An Oct. 3 statement by the church said Ramaglino left in January 2025 “as a result of continued integrity and performance issues regarding a lack of respect for authority, failure to complete tasks, and dishonesty regarding his work.”
Union Baptist was not aware of the charges against Ramaglino until July, the statement added, when investigators visited the church.
“We did everything in our power to assist the investigators and, within days of finding out about the allegations, we notified our church families for their protection and encouraged them to notify authorities of anything suspicious,” the statement continued. “Later, when it would not jeopardize the investigation, we notified the rest of the church. We thank God that no one in our church appears to be affected.
“If there is one thing we can learn from all of this, it is that people that engage in this kind of behavior can look like anyone,” said the church’s statement. “They can be anywhere: in churches, in schools, or in homes. You cannot control what a person chooses to do with their personal life. All you can do is create safe environments where it is difficult to engage in this conduct. We have done our best to be proactive and protect our church family every step of the way. We encourage every church, organization, and home to realize these people are out there. Be wise. Parents talk to your kids. Never let any of these behaviors slide nor stay in the dark.”
Virginia State Police said Ramaglino’s case is still under investigation.
Former Union Baptist deacon George Thomas West was arrested in August on 16 counts of unlawful filming of another person, believed to be “thousands” of males in public restrooms as far back as 1996. He was removed from membership a week after the church became aware of the charges.
In speaking to the church, Pastor Jared Berry said the “extreme nature” of West’s sin made it clear this was not a “regular Matthew 18 church discipline situation.”
Petsworth Baptist Church in Gloucester, Va., where Ramaglino was currently a member, also released a statement that he had been immediately suspended from all church activities and prohibited from unsupervised access to children on church property or at church-sponsored events.
The church further pledged complete cooperation with authorities.
If you are/have been a victim of sexual abuse or suspect sexual abuse by a pastor, staff member or member of a Southern Baptist church or entity, please reach out for help at sbcabuseprevention.com/helpline or call 833-611-HELP.
- Scott Barkley Scott Barkley is chief national correspondent for Baptist Press.