zlacker

> Is the maximum sentence particularly useful information?

Opinions will differ on this highly subjective question.

> How does this fact aid my understanding of the severity of what he’s done?

It aids your understanding of the potential consequences, not the severity of what he has done.

>>dragon+(OP)
My prior understanding of the consequences was that he may or may not go to prison for an amount of time, and not a whole lot has changed. I guess I now know he won't go to prison for 40 years, but that's not exactly condensing the probability cloud.