The DeSoto County District Attorney’s Office has picked a veteran prosecutor with local roots to run its newly created DeSoto County Special Victims Unit. District Attorney Matthew Barton announced Oct. 23 that Jamie Young, a Hernando native, will serve as the unit’s lead prosecutor.
Young was sworn in as an assistant district attorney last week by Senior Circuit Judge Gerald Chatham.
What the DeSoto County Special Victims Unit will handle
The unit was created with support and funding from the DeSoto County Board of Supervisors. Its caseload will center on crimes against the most vulnerable victims, including:
Child sexual abuse
Child exploitation
Internet crimes against children
Other serious offenses involving vulnerable victims
Barton said the unit’s mission is to “find child predators, build strong cases against them, and put them behind bars.” He called Young “exactly the kind of tough prosecutor we wanted leading this unit.”
Nearly 16 years in the courtroom
Young returns home after nearly 16 years as an assistant district attorney in Mississippi’s Eleventh Circuit Court District. Over that time, she has tried hundreds of jury cases involving violent crimes, sexual offenses against adults and children, drug offenses, financial crimes and property crimes.
Her experience also includes:
Work with pretrial intervention programs and drug intervention court
Handling forfeitures and seizures
Training law enforcement officers on courtroom testimony and case preparation
Service on the board of the Mississippi Prosecutors Association
“I’m honored to join this exceptional crime fighting team,” Young said in the announcement.
A Hernando High graduate
Young graduated from Hernando High School in 2003. She earned her undergraduate degree from Mississippi University for Women in 2007 and her law degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 2010. She is the daughter of James and Lillie Banks and is married to Shuwaski Young. She is active in Christian outreach, Bible study, discipleship and community service.
How to report suspected child abuse
Cases handled by special victims prosecutors often begin with a report from a parent, teacher, neighbor or relative. Anyone who suspects a child is being abused or neglected in Mississippi can call the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services hotline at 1-800-222-8000 or report online through the agency’s website. Online exploitation of children can be reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline at 1-800-843-5678. If a child is in immediate danger, call 911.
The new unit adds to the DA’s Office’s focus on crimes against children and vulnerable adults in DeSoto County, one of Mississippi’s fastest-growing counties.
