Does section 654 of the California Criminal Code allow a defendant to be convicted of multiple crimes against multiple victims?

provides for the longest potential term of imprisonment, but in no case shall the act or omission be punished under more than one provision. . . ." The purpose of section 654 is "'to prevent multiple punishment for a single act or omission, even though that act or omission violates more than one statute and thus constitutes more than one crime.' [Citations.]" (People v. Davey (2005) 133 Cal.App.4th 384, 389.)

Section 654's ban on multiple punishment is limited in two particulars, however. "First, when multiple victims are targeted by a single episode of violent criminal conduct, the perpetrator may be punished separately for the crimes committed against each victim. [Citations.] Second, multiple crimes that arise from a single course of criminal conduct may be punished separately, notwithstanding section 654, if the acts constituting the various crimes serve separate criminal objectives. [Citations.]" (People v. Davey, supra, 133 Cal.App.4th at p. 390.)