9 Years for a Finger?

OK, I'll admit - I did not pay any particular attention to the whole "finger in the Wendy's chili" incident when it happened last year. I was dimly aware that it happened, that it was hoax, and that the folks who pulled it were charged with a crime. Now they, a husband and wife team, have received 9 years in prison and a hefty restitution for their efforts (the hubby got several more years for other offenses, too). Am I the only one who thinks that sounds a little like overkill? The only damage to anybody from this BS was economic, and I refuse to believe that people avoided Wendy's locations all over the country (world?) because of this story. Maybe the one store in San Jose, but all over the country? Causing millions of dollars of loss for Wendy's? I just don't buy it.