Huntsville City Councilman Devyn Keith pleaded guilty Tuesday to two counts of misdemeanor shoplifting. He was facing four counts but the state dismissed two charges.
Madison County District Judge Patty Demos rendered the verdict in a bench trial. Keith was represented by Huntsville attorney John Taylor.
On the first count, he was sentenced to 90 days suspended and two years probation. The second count is 180 days suspended and paying restitution to Walmart. He also is not permitted in any Walmart store.
In a statement, Keith apologized to his family, friends, district, and the city. He also said he was grateful.
“Thank you to my family, my friends, and my community. I’m so grateful for you,” he wrote. “Through this very tough time, you all have not only been a tremendous blessing in my life: praying for me, sowing wisdom and love into me, but you’ve kept me going.”
Keith was arrested in February and was facing four charges that he stole $491.13 in total merchandise from three Huntsville Walmart stores, according to police.
In the statement, Keith said two of the charges were dropped because he had proof of payment of some items.
“My lawyer and I were able to review the evidence, and I was able to provide my lawyer with bank statements that contested the allegations,” he wrote. “In some instances, we could show on video that I simply just didn’t take the alleged stolen items.”
Keith admitted negligence and guilt in taking items in the statement.
“Now, the agreement that was reached today acknowledges that I was negligent, and I was careless in scanning items, and that, in fact, makes me wrong,” he wrote. “Therefore, because I was wrong, from the beginning, I expressed to the State that I would pay full restitution for those items including, additional fees.
“… the agreement does hold me accountable for my negligence in the past year. A failure to scan items such as Skittles, butterfingers, and $20 headphones, if I didn’t pay for an item, I am wrong. It was never my intent to not scan these items.”
Keith has continued to serve as the District 1 city councilman since his arrests. He was first elected in 2016 and re-elected in 2020.
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