Most importantly: when you are charged with many counts of the same crime, the DOJ likes to write press releases suggesting your sentence is the product of the maximum sentence of each count. But that is not how sentencing works in reality. Reality works more like this: the judge uses sentencing guidelines to figure out a sentence for the "worst" single count you're charged with, and that's how much time you serve.
http://www.popehat.com/2013/02/05/crime-whale-sushi-sentence...
Most importantly: when you are charged with many counts of the same crime, the DOJ likes to write press releases suggesting your sentence is the product of the maximum sentence of each count. But that is not how sentencing works in reality. Reality works more like this: the judge uses sentencing guidelines to figure out a sentence for the "worst" single count you're charged with, and that's how much time you serve.