Happily. I was reacting to your assumption that this case might involve no deal?
This case has plea deal written all over it.
The prosecutors have an unknown factor to wrestle with.
No similar cases to serve as a prescedent. No previous judgements to call upon. A small wildcard for sure but new territory to traverse and not something they can be completely confident about.
The accused has choices. He's not in custody. His ass is on a hammock not in some lock-up.
His crime was victimless so spending money trying to bring him to justice would be overkill. However, he doesn't have the U.S. to call home and the opposition is well aware of that.
The court will consider a plea deal a victory in that justice will have been served, they can use the guilty party as a scarecrow for others and will no doubt add to the State coffers but only if they play ball.
I'm sure you're right that the majority have no problem with a long drawn out case but a decent judge would see through that rather quickly. The court system has to be overloaded as it is.
A quick victory that turns a profit ( VOLUME, VOLUME, VOLUME) will fit in nicely with the mantra of the Nation.
BTW your graph is looking quite spiky as of late.