Three people accused of being a cannibal sect in northeastern Brazil will serve lengthy sentences for the deaths of two women.

A court official said Saturday that the three people are convicted of killing two women, eating parts of their bodies and using some of their flesh to make and sell stuffed pastries.

Jorge Beltrão Negromonte da Silveira was sentenced to 23 years in prison, and his wife, Isabel Cristina Pires, and his mistress, Bruna Cristina Oliveira da Silva, each were sentenced to 20 years in prison.

A weekend duty officer said the seven-person jury handed down the sentences Friday night at the court in the city of Olinda. Their attorneys said they will appeal the sentences.

Remains of the two women were found in the backyard of their house. The two women were lured to their home when the couple said they needed a nanny.

All three suspects were arrested in April 2012 in the city of Garanhuns.

At the time of their arrest two years ago, the three reportedly confessed to killing the two women and told police they belonged to a sect that preached "the purification of the world and the reduction of its population."

Authorities reported that the defendants used the women's flesh to make thick empanada pastries. The human filled pastries were eaten by them, a child in their home and some were sold to neighbors. They also sold some of the pastries to schools and hospitals claiming they contained tuna and chicken.

Silveira wrote a 50-page book entitled "Revelations of a Schizophrenic." Police found the book right after the arrest where Silveira detailed his obsession with killing women and talked about the voices in his head.

Police investigated the murders thoroughly when Silveira, his wife and mistress tried to use a credit card that belonged to one of the victims.