Prank Resulting In 2 NFL GMs Talking Results In Up To 5 Years Of Prison

The article doesn't state what level of penalty is actually being sought, it merely lists the maximum penalty for the crime they (allegedly) committed.

This should be a case where the judge and prosecutor look at the circumstances and decide a modest fine and 100 hours of community service.

What should happen and what actually happens may be two different things.

Also, the prosecutor might be using the maximum sentence as a negotiating tactic to extract a guilty plea. This practice sucks because it makes a mockery of the justice system by turning it into a high-stakes poker game, but it happens nonetheless and reform doesn't seem to be a political cause with enough momentum.