An Alabama city councilman has pleaded guilty to two counts of misdemeanor shoplifting. Huntsville City Council member Devyn Keith agreed to a plea deal Tuesday just as his trial was set to begin. Keith was arrested in February and faced four charges regarding stolen merchandise from three Walmart stores. News outlets report Keith will pay nearly $465 restitution for the amount from all four cases. A judge also ordered Keith to serve two years on probation concurrent with a 90-day suspended sentence. He is also sentenced to 50 hours community service with 180 days suspended on the other charge. Keith has been permanently banned from Walmart.
Tim Gann, chief deputy district attorney, said after the hearing that Keith received the same treatment as any other person charged with shoplifting.
Gann explained that if Keith finishes his probation without any violations, he will not go to jail. If Keith violates his probation during the two years then the suspended sentence will take effect and he will go to jail.
"Accountability is important to me," Keith read as part of a lengthy statement following the hearing. "I have nothing but respect towards the State and Walmart representatives. 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 was first elected to the Huntsville City Council in October 2016 and was reelected in 2020. It's not immediately clear how or if the guilty plea will affect Keith's future on the council.
