Can a criminal defendant be punished multiple times for the same criminal act?

A criminal defendant cannot be punished multiple times for the same criminal act if it is committed with the same intent or objective. (People v. Kirvin (2014) 231 Cal.App.4th 1507, 1517; 654.) "However, as a general matter, a criminal defendant can suffer multiple convictions for a single criminal act or series of related criminal acts." (People v. Kirvin, supra, at p. 1517; 954.) The People need not elect between different offenses or counts in an accusatory pleading. ( 954.)