What punishment would Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak have faced for their illegal phone activities, if today's laws were in place then? Seems that Ortiz could have gone after them for more than even 35 years.
According to the WSJ, about 6-7 months, which is what the prosecutor actually sought against Swartz. 35 years was the maximum potential prison sentence allowed by the law; it was not the prison sentence that the prosecutors were seeking.