A Guyton city councilman already suspended because of his pending felony case in Effingham County is now facing three additional felony charges.
Theodore Walden Hamby III was arrested by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation on March 14, 2025 after a request for inquiry into his use of the city credit card. 26-year-old Hamby was charged with felony Theft by Taking and Financial Transaction Card Fraud. He was booked into the Effingham County Jail where he remained for three days. Upon his release, Mayor Andy Harville asked Hamby to resign from his post, but he refused.
In May, Hamby’s attorney, JD Maines, told WJCL that it was all a mistake and an issue rooted in Hamby’s age.
“Our position is this was him using the wrong cards. I have like six or seven cards in my wallet from different businesses, the firm, my personal. And, for someone his age, it’s not uncommon to make that mistake, and that’s all this was,” said JD Maines, attorney for Theodore Hamby.”
Hamby was later indicted on additional charges, including three counts of Financial Transaction Card Fraud and two counts of Making False Statements. The indictment contradicted Maines’ statement to the media and alleged that Hamby lied to GBI agents during the course of their investigation.
On August 20, Hamby and his attorney appeared in court to argue that his case should be transferred to another judicial circuit. The argument, in part, was based on the fact that an individual employed by the clerk’s office filed an ethics complaint against Hamby more than seven months before the alleged criminal act and subsequent arrest. Judge Muldrew denied to hear the motion.
The same day, Kemp suspended Hamby from public office following an evaluation by two other city council members in other municipalities and a representative from the Georgia Attorney General’s Office.
Additional Charges
On September 15, an Effingham County Grand Jury returned a True Bill of Indictment on the same charges, plus three new ones.
Hamby is now facing three counts of Violation of Oath by a Public Officer as well. Specifically, the indictment alleges that while serving as a public officer for the City of Guyton, he did “willfully and intentionally violate the terms of his oath as prescribed by law, in that he did swear “I will perform the duties of my office in the best interest of the City of Guyton to the best of my ability without fear, favor, affection, reward, or expectation thereof,” and then he did unlawfully use his City of Guyton financial transaction card to obtain U.S. currency for his personal use.
Hamby now faces a total of eight felony charges:
- Financial Transaction Card Fraud – on February 4 when he unlawfully obtained $204.50 on a city of Guyton credit card (1-5 years in prison, if convicted, as well as up to $5,000 in fines)
- Financial Transaction Card Fraud – again on February 4 when he unlawfully obtained an additional $204.50 on a city of Guyton credit card (1-5 years in prison, if convicted, as well as up to $5,000 in fines)
- Financial Transaction Card Fraud – on February 4 when he unlawfully obtained $84.50 on a city of Guyton credit card (1-5 years in prison, if convicted, as well as up to $5,000 in fines)
- Making a False Statement – on March 14, 2025 when he told Special Agent Stephen Morris with the GBI that the credit card was stolen in Atlanta (1-5 years in prison, if convicted, as well as up to $1,000 in fines)
- Making a False Statement – on March 14, 2025 when he told Special Agent Stephen Morris with the GBI that he did not use the city of Guyton card at the Parker’s convenience store in Guyton, Georgia. (1-5 years in prison, if convicted, as well as up to $1,000 in fines)
- Violation of Oath of a Public Officer – for first alleged Financial Transaction Card Fraud (1-5 years in prison, if convicted)
- Violation of Oath of a Public Officer – for second alleged Financial Transaction Card Fraud (1-5 years in prison, if convicted)
- Violation of Oath of a Public Officer -for third alleged Financial Transaction Card Fraud (1-5 years in prison, if convicted)
If convicted of all eight charges, Hamby faces up to 40 years in prison and $17,000 in fines.
ADA Matt Breedon announced in court on August 20 that the state had offered a plea deal but that the offer expired that day. It is unclear what the specifics of that plea deal entailed.
Hamby’s Tenure
Hamby’s term of office began in January 2024 and his tenure has been plagued with headlines. An ethics committee found Hamby violated the city’s ethics ordinance by soliciting money for an endorsement of another political candidate and he drew the ire of the public after he campaigned on opposing a retirement plan for council members before he voted to enact the same plan.
Hamby also used his position as a city council member to file for public service loan forgiveness from the federal government.
- Ethics Complaint Filed Against Guyton City Councilman for Soliciting Money for Endorsement
- Guyton Councilman Tells Ethics Committee “If It Doesn’t Fit, You Must Acquit”
- Guyton Ethics Committee Says Hamby Guilty of Ordinance Violations, City Council Takes Action
- Harville Vetoes Retirement Plan for Guyton City Council
- Guyton City Councilman Cites Elected Office on Student Loan Forgiveness Application
- Citing ‘Bad Hombres,’ Guyton Councilman Wants PD to Join 287(g) Immigration Program
