DESOTO COUNTY – The DeSoto County District Attorney’s Office says it has secured 82 convictions involving 96 counts of failure to register as a sex offender since District Attorney Matthew Barton took office in January 2024.
The office announced the figures Wednesday as part of an ongoing enforcement review it is calling “Operation Predator Check,” an effort focused on prosecuting people who violate sex offender registration requirements.
According to the district attorney’s office, the 96 convicted counts represent a 68% increase. The office did not specify the baseline or time period used to calculate that increase.
Mississippi’s registration requirements include keeping certain information current, such as changes involving a registrant’s residence, employment and vehicles.
“Compliance is not optional in DeSoto County,” Barton said in a statement, adding that his office intends to prosecute registered sex offenders who fail to follow the requirements.
The district attorney’s office said it announced 58 felony indictments in 2024 as part of an earlier registration-enforcement initiative. It said prosecution efforts have continued since then.
The office did not provide a breakdown of the 82 convictions by year or identify the cases included in the total.
