A Wisconsin pharmacist who tried to destroy practically 500 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine has been sentenced to federal jail.Steven Brandenburg, 46, admitted to eradicating the vaccine vials from a pharmacy fridge on two events.A federal choose sentenced him Tuesday morning to a few years in jail. Brandenburg will then be on federal probation for 3 years after his launch.He apologized and mentioned he felt ashamed by his actions.Federal prosecutors had advisable a sentence of 51 months.Brandenburg entered a responsible plea in February to 2 counts of trying to tamper with a client product.Data present Brandenburg eliminated the identical field of Moderna vaccine from a fridge at Aurora Medical Heart-Grafton on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.Prosecutors mentioned Brandenburg advised investigators he believed the vaccine was dangerous and will change an individual’s DNA.Brandenburg signed a plea settlement in January.He confronted as much as 20 years in federal jail and a $250,000 high quality.The choose didn’t impose any fines. Brandenburg was ordered to pay $84,000 in restitution to Aurora Grafton.As many as 60 victims had the chance to present influence statements at sentencing.Aurora mentioned 57 workers have been vaccinated with doses Brandenburg faraway from the fridge.Moderna advised Aurora the doses have been nonetheless viable regardless of being overlooked of the fridge.”The act of sabotage with the intent to put my life at risk has shaken me to my core,” one worker wrote to the court docket in February.”Steven Brandenburg took the selection from me to obtain a steady and recognized to be protected vaccine,” one other worker wrote.”There’s nonetheless not a day that goes by the place I fear concerning the long-term results of the assault,” a 3rd worker wrote to the court docket.A number of co-workers mentioned Brandenburg introduced weapons to the hospital in a rolling briefcase and “created an ongoing, justified and fixed concern across the danger of an active-shooter occasion.”An lawyer for Aurora mentioned Brandenburg’s former co-workers lived in concern so the hospital got here up with a brand new and improved security plan designed to guard them from him.The lawyer additionally advised the court docket Brandenburg faked his personal flu shot on the hospital by making a false label on a saline syringe.Prosecutors wished Brandenburg held in custody, saying he could also be a hazard to the general public.Courtroom paperwork mentioned Brandenburg believed the Earth is flat and that he’s a prophet. Prosecutors mentioned he additionally believed the Sept. 11 terrorist assaults have been pretend and the vaccines have been “of the satan.”Brandenburg advised the court docket he was not coping with any psychological well being points.His protection lawyer didn’t need Brandenburg locked up, saying Monday Brandenburg gave the state licensing board full revocation of his pharmacy license and can by no means work close to prescribed drugs once more in Wisconsin.A choose didn’t detain Brandenburg earlier than sentencing however did order a psychological well being analysis and GPS monitoring machine.
A Wisconsin pharmacist who tried to destroy practically 500 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine has been sentenced to federal jail.
Steven Brandenburg, 46, admitted to eradicating the vaccine vials from a pharmacy fridge on two events.
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A federal choose sentenced him Tuesday morning to a few years in jail.
Brandenburg will then be on federal probation for 3 years after his launch.
He apologized and mentioned he felt ashamed by his actions.
Federal prosecutors had advisable a sentence of 51 months.
Brandenburg entered a responsible plea in February to 2 counts of trying to tamper with a client product.
Data present Brandenburg eliminated the identical field of Moderna vaccine from a fridge at Aurora Medical Heart-Grafton on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Prosecutors mentioned Brandenburg advised investigators he believed the vaccine was dangerous and will change an individual’s DNA.
Brandenburg signed a plea settlement in January.
He confronted as much as 20 years in federal jail and a $250,000 high quality.
The choose didn’t impose any fines.
Brandenburg was ordered to pay $84,000 in restitution to Aurora Grafton.
As many as 60 victims had the chance to present influence statements at sentencing.
Aurora mentioned 57 workers have been vaccinated with doses Brandenburg faraway from the fridge.
Moderna advised Aurora the doses have been nonetheless viable regardless of being overlooked of the fridge.
“The act of sabotage with the intent to put my life at risk has shaken me to my core,” one worker wrote to the court docket in February.
“Steven Brandenburg took the selection from me to obtain a steady and recognized to be protected vaccine,” one other worker wrote.
“There’s nonetheless not a day that goes by the place I fear concerning the long-term results of the assault,” a 3rd worker wrote to the court docket.
A number of co-workers mentioned Brandenburg introduced weapons to the hospital in a rolling briefcase and “created an ongoing, justified and fixed concern across the danger of an active-shooter occasion.”
An lawyer for Aurora mentioned Brandenburg’s former co-workers lived in concern so the hospital got here up with a brand new and improved security plan designed to guard them from him.
The lawyer additionally advised the court docket Brandenburg faked his personal flu shot on the hospital by making a false label on a saline syringe.
Prosecutors wished Brandenburg held in custody, saying he could also be a hazard to the general public.
Courtroom paperwork mentioned Brandenburg believed the Earth is flat and that he’s a prophet.
Prosecutors mentioned he additionally believed the Sept. 11 terrorist assaults have been pretend and the vaccines have been “of the satan.”
Brandenburg advised the court docket he was not coping with any psychological well being points.
His protection lawyer didn’t need Brandenburg locked up, saying Monday Brandenburg gave the state licensing board full revocation of his pharmacy license and can by no means work close to prescribed drugs once more in Wisconsin.
A choose didn’t detain Brandenburg earlier than sentencing however did order a psychological well being analysis and GPS monitoring machine.
