The suspect told investigators he was skeptical of the Modern vaccine.
A Wisconsin pharmacist pleaded guilty to two federal charges on Tuesday and admitted that he had tampered with more than 500 doses of a coronavirus vaccine, the Justice Department announced.
Steven Brandenburg, 46, from Grafton, Wisconsin, can face up to 20 years in person on two counts of attempting to tamper with consumer products without taking into account the risk of another person risking death or personal injury, the Justice Department said in a statement.
Brandenburg admitted removing 57 vials of Modern vaccine from cold storage at Advocate Aurora Health Hospital on 24 and 25 December, leaving them spoiled overnight, according to federal prosecutors. The suspect said he was skeptical of vaccines in general and the Modern vaccine specifically, according to the plea agreement.
“Tampering with vaccine doses in the midst of a global health crisis requires a strong response, as reflected by the serious accusations that the United States brought today,” Assistant Attorney General Brian Boynton of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division said in a communicated.
The Brandenburg lawyer declined to comment on the deal.
“The FDA has ensured that the Modern COVID-19 vaccine meets the agency’s strict standards for quality, safety and efficacy,” said FDA Assistant Commissioner for Criminal Investigations, Catherine A. Hermsen, in a statement.
About 57 doses of the adulterated vials were distributed to patients, according to federal prosecutors.
Brandenburg was arrested on New Year’s Eve. He was conditionally released to his home four days later, after prosecutors in Wisconsin said they needed more time for Moderna’s test results to determine the exact damage the pharmacist caused by tampering with the 57 vials, each containing about 100 doses.
Last week, Ozaukee County District Attorney Adam Gerol said the tests were still ongoing, but “the best evidence at this point is that the vaccine remains viable.”
The Brandenburg sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.