The Wisconsin Hospital employee accused of manipulation with hundreds of COVID-19 vaccine doses he told investigators he believed the vaccine could harm people and change their DNA, according to a probable cause statement obtained by CBS affiliate WDJT-TV. Experts have said there is no evidence that the vaccine can change DNA.
The employee, identified in the statement as pharmacist Steven Brandenburg, is accused of intentionally removing 57 vials of the Modern vaccine from a refrigerator in the pharmacy at Aurora Medical Center and leaving them out overnight. The company said it fired the employee after admitting to intentionally removing the vials. He was arrested last week by Grafton police.
The probable cause statement, written by a Grafton police detective, alleges that Brandenburg told investigators he believed the vaccine “was not safe for people and could harm them and change their DNA.” . He also alleges that Brandenburg admitted that the manipulation was “an intentional act”.
The detective who wrote the statement also called Brandenburg an “admitted conspiracy theorist,” but did not detail.
Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office
Aurora Medical Center originally said it had been forced to release more than 500 doses of the vaccine because of the incident, estimating the cost to be between $ 8,000 and $ 11,000. But Ozaukee County District Attorney Adam Gerol said Monday during a virtual hearing that the roads had been preserved and that Moderna would test them, according to The Associated Press. Gerol added that he planned to wait to see if the doses had become effective before filing charges.
Grafton police said some people had received doses of vaccines that had been withdrawn from refrigeration, but the department said it did not believe any of those people were at medical risk.
A judge set Brandenburg’s bail at $ 10,000 and ordered him not to have any contact with Aurora employees and to present his weapons to the sheriff’s office, WDJT-TV reported. Its next hearing will take place on January 19th.