The &quot;faces up to&quot; is technically true, but substantively misleading. They upper statutory limit for the crime charged was, indeed, 35 years. The details of the specifics of the charges would not, under the federal sentencing guidelines, support anything near that maximum sentence, and while upward departures from the guidelines are technically possible, there is no basis for thinking they were likely in that case.<p>It&#x27;s a deception that serves DOJ interest in making their activities seem more significant and newsworthy, and the press don&#x27;t bother to challenge it, either through laziness out because the artificially enhanced dramas serves the interests of the press.