The former Goodyear teacher who molested her 13-year-old student has started her sentence at an Arizona prison.

A spokesperson for the Arizona Department of Corrections confirmed Zamora arrived at the Arizona State Prison Complex — Perryville in Goodyear Wednesday. 

Zamora, 28, was sentenced to 20 years in prison — the lowest possible sentence allowed for her crime under a plea deal — after she pleaded guilty to molesting one male sixth-grade student and grooming another.

She will get credit for the 478 days she’s already served in jail.

Zamora will be on probation for the rest of her life and must register as a sex offender after she is released in the year 2038. 

The 400-acre campus also holds other high-profile female Arizona offenders, including Jodi Arias, who was sentenced to life in prison in 2015 for the 2008 slaying of Travis Alexander in Mesa. 

Perryville’s Lumley Unit houses the female death row, which holds only three women: Wendi Andriano, Shawna Forde and Sammantha Allen. 

During her sentencing, Zamora told the judge she plans to earn a new degree in prison so she can embark on a new career when she’s released. 

Abusing her student

Zamora was arrested in March 2018 and accused of having a sexual relationship with her sixth-grade student. She was also accused of sending naked pictures of herself to the student, and police records indicate she may have been attempting to groom other students for sex.

The family of the victim also filed a civil lawsuit against Zamora’s husband, Daniel, and Liberty Elementary School District. The lawsuit alleges the school principal was aware of rumors of sexual abuse for more than a month before Zamora’s arrest. 

The lawsuit also accused Daniel Zamora of failing to alert authorities after he learned of the ongoing molestation. He recently settled for an undisclosed amount.

The lawsuit against Liberty Elementary School District is ongoing.

Reach public safety reporter Bree Burkitt at [email protected] or at 602-444-8515. Follow her on Twitter at @breeburkitt.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. 

Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/southwest-valley/2019/07/17/brittany-zamora-arrives-prison-20-year-sentence/1762652001/