20 freakin' years?? Huh?

Apparently two students are facing 20 years in jail for fixing grades.

News Article

First I think they need to be reprimanded for what they did. It is wrong and they should face some sort of punishment. With that said, 20 freakin' years?? Huh? How does this even begin to be an appropriate sentence. I understand that the 20 years is a maximum sentence for all 11 items in the indictment. I also realize that it is unlikely that they will be given the maximum sentence. I still think it shows something of an inflexibility in our legal system that this sentence is even on the table. I am not a lawyer. I don't even play one on television. It is entirely possible that there is some subtlty that I am completely missing, but I reiterate. 20 freakin' years?? Huh?

I did an admittedly brief google search and I could not find any record of someone being prosecuted to this extent for changing grades in the past. I don't doubt that it has happened. For all I know someone even got 20 years or more for it. Even if I had found some previous example of such a sentence, all I would have said is: 20 freakin' years?? Huh?