Steven Brandenburg, 46, is charged with two counts of attempting to tamper with consumer products, “with reckless disregard for the risk of someone else risking death or personal injury,” the department said in a statement.
Brandenburg removed a storage container with 57 vials, containing more than 500 doses of Moderna vaccine, at the Aurora Medical Center in Grafton on 24 and 25 December, according to police. The vaccine must be kept cool to remain effective.
“Tampering with vaccine doses in the midst of a global health crisis requires a strong response, as reflected by the serious accusations the United States brought today,” said Acting Deputy Attorney General Brian Boynton of the Department of Justice Civil Division .
CNN sought a Brandenburg lawyer for comment.
According to police, he reportedly provided Aurora Medical Center’s public security officers with a written statement saying he intentionally removed the vials, knowing that if they were not stored properly, the doses would be ineffective.
Each charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, according to the statement.
Brandenburg “believed in several ‘conspiracy theories’; subscribed to ‘alternative history’ notions; and was skeptical about vaccines in general and the Modern vaccine specifically,” according to the plea agreement, the statement said.
“Brandenburg has communicated his beliefs about vaccines to his co-workers for at least the past two years,” said the statement.
Aurora Medical Center said that Brandenburg no longer works there.