Interesting link on how they tracked her down http://www.ajc.com/news/news/crime-law/how-the-fbi-tracked-down-a-georgia-woman-tied-to-4/np2nR/
Use a firearm in the commission of a premeditated felony like this and go to jail for a minimum of 20 years.
Federal Criminal justice system is no joke... Tons of mandatory sentencing guidelines, hard ass judges, and no early parole.
The sentencing guidelines are no longer mandatory in the federal courts, but they might as well (still) be... You're spot on with the part about hard ass judges; look what happened to Jared from Subway. Fed time is 85% minimum, and if you get out early, it's usually to a half-way house or some sort of home detention. You're pretty much guaranteed time inside on just about any fed crime...
I believe they only ended mandatory sentencing guidelines in some matters, primarily drug offenses. I think some violent crimes still have them. Their successful prosecution rate isn't 99% for nothing. They've usually already "got you" long before they formally indict...
You can say that again. On defensible cases, the Assistant US Attorneys will cut your guy (or gal) a deal so sweet that they won't take the risk of losing at Trial. On all of the other cases (where they've got your guy by the short hairs), they'll still get doubled up, time wise, by foregoing the plea and losing at Trial. There's a even a sentencing guideline enhancement for taking the government to Trial! It's freaking crazy...