Huntsville Councilman Devyn Keith faces additional theft charges

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) – Huntsville Councilman Devyn Keith is facing additional theft charges after his arrest last week, according to the Madison County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO).

Keith, the two-term council member for District 1, faces a total of four misdemeanor charges alleging he stole items from Walmart stores, the sheriff’s office said. The case has been investigated by the Huntsville Police Department (HPD), but the sheriff’s office is handling arrest warrants, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office told News 19.

News 19 asked HPD about the warrants to which a spokesperson replied, “These matters are being handled by the Madison County District Attorney’s Office to avoid any perception or potential for conflict of interest.”

A spokesperson for the Madison County District Attorney’s Office confirmed that they would be pursuing the cases, but they have not yet received the warrants. The office expects to receive the warrants on Wednesday.

Keith was supposed to surrender today, an MCSO spokesperson said. News 19 has reached out to Keith’s attorney, Jon Taylor, who said he has no comment at this time.

Keith was arrested and charged with fourth degree larceny on February 2, for allegedly shoplifting from a Walmart on University Drive. This charge is a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in prison and a maximum fine of $6,000.

Keith released a statement on Friday saying in part: “Yesterday, after shopping for items at Walmart’s self-checkout, I left the store with a $20 pair of headphones in my shopping cart that I didn’t I have not paid. I respect the professionalism of the Walmart personnel and law enforcement officers involved in this matter.

Keith’s statement has generated significant feedback online, with the vast majority of commenters expressing support and suggesting that many shoppers make these sorts of mistakes, forgetting to pay for an item.