Suspect was a priest-in-training at an Olive Branch Catholic Church
Photo: DeSoto County Sheriff Thomas Tuggle announces the arrest of Jonathan Nguyen-Voung during a brief media appearance Friday afternoon. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
July 11, 2025 – A 24-year-old man from Nesbit who was working at Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Olive Branch as a priest in training was arrested by DeSoto County deputies late Thursday morning. Jonathan Nguyen-Voung is charged with several child pornography-related charges and is being held at the DeSoto County Adult Detention Center without bond. Jail information reports a court date for Nguyen-Voung has been sent for late September.
Sheriff Thomas Tuggle made an appearance before reporters to announce the arrest Friday afternoon, stating it was part of an ongoing child exploitation investigation called “Operation Exorcism.” Detectives with the department’s Internet Crimes Against Children conducted the search warrant that found evidence leading to the arrest.
Tuggle said Nguyen-Voung is from Louisiana but had a Nesbit residence at the time he was arrested without incident at the church, located on Germantown Road in Olive Branch. Nguyen-Voung had been serving as a religious educator at the church.
Sheriff Thomas TuggleJonathan Nguyen-Voung
Charges include multiple felonies, including possession, accessing, and distribution of child pornography.
Digital forensic experts recovered numerous files containing explicit material involving minors from electronic devices seized at the scene. One device was actively downloading Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) at the time investigators arrived.
Tuggle said the investigation into the case is continuing but would take no questions regarding the arrest.
“I want to be clear, we take all crimes seriously, especially crimes committed against our children,” Tuggle said. “We will be relentless in our pursuit of these predators.
Nguyen-Voung was booked into the jail about 11:30 a.m. Thursday morning.
