A former senior adviser to Dr. Anthony Fauci at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiring to evade public records laws and conceal government documents related to COVID-19 research grants.

David Morens, 78, of Chester, Maryland, entered the plea to one count of conspiracy to commit offenses and to defraud the United States during a hearing in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, Maryland. He faces a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 at sentencing scheduled for November 12 before Judge Paula Xinis.

According to court documents and his plea agreement, Morens conspired with others during the pandemic to avoid Freedom of Information Act requests and the Federal Records Act. The scheme involved communications about coronavirus research grants, including after the NIH terminated one grant. Morens admitted using personal email accounts and other methods to keep federal records out of public view.

Morens served as a senior science adviser in the NIAID director's office from 2006 until 2022. The charges stem from efforts to shield records tied to grant funding and pandemic-related research from disclosure.

Federal prosecutors said the conspiracy defrauded the United States by undermining transparency requirements. Morens is the first individual to plead guilty in connection with the investigation into record concealment at the agency.

The case highlights ongoing scrutiny of federal health officials' handling of pandemic-related documents and communications.