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PORT WASHINGTON, Wisconsin (WBAY) – A former Wisconsin pharmacist accused of intentionally ruining doses of a COVID-19 vaccine has agreed to plead guilty to federal charges.
According to the plea deal obtained by Action 2 News, Steven Brandenburg pleads guilty to two counts of reckless disregard for risk of death from bodily harm.
The charges each carry up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $ 250,000, plus up to 3 years of supervised release.
As previously reported, Brandenburg admitted that he intentionally left the vaccine vials out of the refrigerator twice overnight at Advocate Aurora Health in Grafton, where he worked. An Advocate Aurora Health official said 57 vials of Moderna vaccine were spoiled. They could have vaccinated more than 500 people.
According to court documents, investigators say Brandenburg admitted he believed in conspiracy theories and believed the vaccine mutated people’s DNA. (Experts say it works like other vaccines that prepare the body’s immune system against viruses; it doesn’t change their genetic code.)
A state board suspended Brandenburg’s license to practice pharmacy in Wisconsin earlier this month.
Online court records show Brandenburg is also indicted by the Ozaukee County Circuit Court for property damage.
Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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