DeSoto DA's Special Victims Unit Trains in Biloxi
The newly created unit attended the 2026 One Loud Voice Conference hosted by Children's Advocacy Centers of Mississippi.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Sex Crimes
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The DeSoto County District Attorney's Office Special Victims Unit attended the 2026 One Loud Voice Conference in Biloxi, the DA's office announced Monday, November 9. The unit, newly created with support from the DeSoto County Board of Supervisors, handles child sexual abuse, child exploitation, and internet crimes against children.
Why it matters
The training reflects the unit's focus on prosecuting serious offenses involving vulnerable victims across Mississippi's northern counties. Its formation gives prosecutors in DeSoto County a dedicated team for cases involving children and other at-risk victims.
The unit leads prosecution efforts for child sexual abuse and exploitation cases in DeSoto County, led by Jamie Young. The office has not disclosed how many staff attended the training or which sessions they completed.
The players
Matthew Barton
Matthew Barton is the District Attorney for DeSoto County, Mississippi, who tied the training to the unit's mission.
Jamie Young
Jamie Young is a Hernando native who spent nearly 16 years as an assistant district attorney in Mississippi's Eleventh Circuit Court District before leading the new unit.
Children's Advocacy Centers of Mississippi
Children's Advocacy Centers of Mississippi is the organization that hosts the One Loud Voice Conference for child abuse investigators, prosecutors, and advocates.
The details
The DA's office attended the One Loud Voice Conference in Biloxi during the week of November 2, 2026, a gathering of investigators, prosecutors, and child advocates from across Mississippi. District Attorney Matthew Barton said the Special Victims Unit will fight for victims and pursue offenders.
Timeline
Late October 2026: Jamie Young is named to lead the Special Victims Unit.
Week of November 2, 2026: The unit attends the One Loud Voice Conference in Biloxi.
Monday, November 9, 2026: The DA's office publicly announces the training.
Legal Context
The DeSoto unit's formation and training place it within Mississippi's network of child advocacy prosecutors coordinated through Children's Advocacy Centers of Mississippi. Its caseload of child sexual abuse and internet crimes against children reflects the specialized prosecution model that the state's advocacy centers promote.
Residents who suspect child abuse can report it through the Mississippi child abuse online reporting portal or the statewide hotline at 1-800-222-8000. The DeSoto unit is now the local office that will prosecute serious offenses involving children in Southaven, Olive Branch, Horn Lake, and Walls.
The takeaway
Reporting suspected child abuse early gives investigators and prosecutors the best chance to protect victims. Mississippi residents can call the statewide hotline at 1-800-222-8000 to start that process.
Further reading
Explore more Mississippi sex crimes coverage for context on how the state's prosecutors handle cases involving children and vulnerable victims.
More information
Report suspected child abuse through the Mississippi child abuse online reporting portal.
Source note: This article includes information reported by DeSoto County News.
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