The former IRS agent convicted in a deadly catfishing scheme targeting his wife and a stranger was sentenced Friday to a mandatory life term in prison.

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Brendan Banfield, 40, was found guilty in February on two counts of aggravated murder, one count of using a firearm in committing a felony, and child endangerment in the 2023 killings of Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan at the Banfields’ home in Herndon, Virginia.

The couple’s au pair involved in the plot, Juliana Peres Magalhaes, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Peres Magalhaes initially faced charges of second-degree murder but was given the lesser punishment after she cooperated with authorities and testified for the prosecution at Banfield’s trial in Northern Virginia.

On Friday, Judge Penney Azcarate sentenced Banfield to life in the penitentiary without the possibility of parole.

“The level of cruelty, calculation, and inhumanity in this case reflects something far deeper than anger or impulse; it reflects evil, which is why I carry no burden and find no hesitation in sentencing you to life,” the judge said.

Banfield has the right to file an appeal within 30 days.

Christine Banfield’s sister, Danielle, spoke directly to convicted murderer Brendan Banfield while offering her impact statement, telling Banfield that his daughter, whom he and Christine shared, will come to terms with the fact that he put her in harm’s way.

“He could have divorced and moved on, but divorce would have required relinquishing control, and control was always the priority. His actions were not driven by love, but a desire for power, deception, and a complete disregard for the lies he destroyed.”

She stood crying at the podium in a trembling voice, saying that her bond with her sister would never go away and remembering her as a caring person.

Joseph Ryan’s mother, Deirdre Fisher, appeared in the court virtually due to medical reasons.

“Brendan will remain known as an abusive father, the brutal murderer of his dedicated and compassionate, beautiful wife, and a narcissistic killer of an innocent man,” she said.

Brendan Banfield spoke in the court before his sentencing was announced, stating that he was “greatly disappointed in the legal system”.

He continued, saying that the prosecution and their witnesses’ statements do not match the evidence and that the Fairfax County Police Department “never truly looked into Joe Ryan.”

“I loved her very much, despite what you may think of my affairs. Our marriage worked for us.” Banfield added, “She truly was a caring, a caring mother, caring wife, loving nurse. But I am not responsible. I am not responsible for her death.”

During the trial, Banfield admitted on the stand that he cheated on his wife with Magalhaes, 25, and with several other women.

Prosecutors said Banfield was motivated by an affair and used the fetish website to lure Ryan, 39, to what he believed was a violent sexual fantasy at the Banfields’ home Feb. 24, 2023.

The events of that morning ended with Banfield fatally stabbing his wife, 37, and shooting Ryan, prosecutors said.

In court, Peres Magalhaes said she also shot Ryan. She said Banfield had been trying to avoid a divorce when they embarked on the catfishing plot and used Christine Banfield’s laptop to create a fake user profile on the fetish site that purported to be her.

The profile, “Annastasia9,” described wanting to find a stranger with whom she could act out the sexual fantasy in her home. Ryan was that stranger, Peres Magalhaes said.

During his trial, Banfield rejected those allegations and called them “absolutely crazy.” He testified that he shot Ryan after he saw him stab his wife.

“I did not want to shoot him,” said Banfield, who testified that he was armed with his service weapon. “Um, I wanted him to let her go.”