Steven Brandenburg.Photo: Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office/AP/Shutterstock
A hospital pharmacistaccused of intentionally trying to spoil more than 900 doses of theCOVID-19vaccine has agreed to plead guilty, according to federal authorities in Wisconsin.
Steven Brandenburg, 46, faces up to 20 years in prison — 10 for each count, according to a statement from the Department of Justice.
The Grafton man also faces up to $500,000 in fines for his alleged crime.
Brandenburg was arrested on Dec. 31, 2020, after losing his job at Aurora Medical Center in Grafton. He was fired after allegedly leaving 57 vials of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine out over two nights. All of the available COVID-19 vaccines require refrigeration.
Brandenburg allegedly believed the inoculations were unsafe, according to a probable cause statement. Brandenburg allegedly told investigators told he thought the vaccine was capable of altering its recipients' DNA. There is no scientific basis for such a belief, and multiple large-scale studies have shown that vaccines are safe.
He also allegedly told detectives he purposely left the doses out, hoping to taint them. He returned the vials to the hospital’s refrigerators in the mornings.
“The Department of Justice will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to ensure the public receives safe and effective vaccines,” Boynton continued.
Brandenburg was initially detained on recklessly endangering safety, adulterating a prescription drug and criminal damage to property charges. The tainted doses could have inoculated 500 individuals.
Grafton Police allege the vaccines Brandenburg allegedly tampered with are valued at between $8,550 and $11,400.
Brandenburg’s attorneys were not available for comment.
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The divorce filing also references a conversation the couple had when he dropped off a water purifier, a large bucket of powdered milk and two 30-day emergency food buckets to her and their children.
Multiple large-scale studies have found that vaccines are safe.There is no scientific link between vaccines and autism, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
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source: people.com
