Wisconsin pharmacist accused of sabotaging vaccine was a conspiracy theorist, according to police

The pharmacist recently arrested on charges of intentionally sabotaging more than 500 doses of the coronavirus vaccine at a Wisconsin hospital was "an admitted conspiracy theorist," according to police.

Steven Brandenburg, 46, believed the vaccine could cause harm to individuals who received it and "change their DNA," according to police in Grafton, the town in which the pharmacist worked.

Last month, Brandenburg twice removed a box of Moderna vaccine vials from the refrigerator for more than 12 hours, which renders the doses useless. 

"Brandenburg admitted to doing this intentionally, knowing that it would diminish the effects of the vaccine," said the police.

The vials, which prosecutors say were worth roughly $10,000, were found sitting out one day after Christmas. Brandenburg was later arrested on felony charges of reckless endangerment and property damage. 

According to prosecutors, Brandenburg has been under serious mental duress in his home life, as he deals with a divorce and custody arrangements for his two young daughters. Last month, Brandenburg's wife said he had begun to make end-of-days preparations for the family, including emergency food supplies buckets and water purifiers.

"He told me that if I didn’t understand by now that he is right and that the world is crashing down around us, I am in serious denial," said Gretchen Brandenburg in an affidavit. "He continued to say that the government is planning cyberattacks and plans to shut down the power grid. I was so concerned about my safety and the safety of our children that I left town for a period of time."