Jason DeFord isn't your typical Nashville darling. You know him as Jelly Roll—the guy with the face tattoos and the voice that sounds like gravel mixed with honey. But before the Grammys and the sold-out arenas, he was basically a permanent fixture in the Tennessee court system.
He’s been to jail around 40 times.
That is not a typo.
For a long time, the Jelly Roll criminal record was a massive wall between him and the rest of the world. It stopped him from voting. It kept him from owning a gun. It even made booking a world tour nearly impossible because, honestly, most countries aren't exactly thrilled to let in a convicted felon with a rap sheet longer than a CVS receipt.
But things just changed in a huge way. In December 2025, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee officially signed a pardon for Jelly Roll’s past crimes.
It’s a massive deal. Here is the actual, messy truth about what happened, the crimes he committed, and how he finally got his record cleared.
The 16-Year-Old Mistake That Changed Everything
Most people assume Jelly Roll was just some hardened criminal, but the reality is a bit more complicated. He grew up in Antioch, Tennessee. His mom struggled with addiction. His dad was a meat salesman who booked bets on the side.
By 14, he was already in the system for drug possession.
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But the "big one"—the conviction that haunted him for over 20 years—happened when he was 16.
In 2002, Jelly Roll and some buddies decided to rob a couple of people in a house. A female acquaintance helped them set it up. They walked away with $350. Because the victims knew the girl, Jelly Roll and the others were caught almost immediately.
He was charged as an adult with aggravated robbery.
He wasn’t the one holding the gun, but under Tennessee law, it didn't matter. He was sentenced to a year in prison followed by seven years of probation. That felony charge stayed on his record for decades, looming over every success he had. He’s called it a "heinous crime" and openly admits he’s lucky nobody got hurt.
The "Rotating Door" of the 20s
The robbery wasn't the end of it. For about a decade, Jelly Roll was caught in what he calls the "rotating door" of the justice system.
- Drug Charges: In 2008, police found marijuana and crack cocaine in his car. This led to a conviction for possession with intent to distribute.
- Supervision: He ended up with eight years of court-ordered supervision.
- Minor Offenses: Mixed in there were charges for shoplifting, driving without a license, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Basically, his entire youth was spent in and out of the Metro-Davidson County Detention Facility. He actually spent his 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th birthdays behind bars. No cake. No family visits. Just the smell of a jail cell.
The Moment Everything Flipped
So, how does a guy go from a jail cell to testifying before the U.S. Senate?
It started with a knock on his cell door in 2008. A guard told him, "DeFord, you had a kid today."
That was the birth of his daughter, Bailee Ann.
Suddenly, the "tough guy" act didn't matter. He realized he had to be a father. He got his GED at 23 while still locked up. He decided he was done "playing chemist in the kitchen" with drugs. He poured everything into music, even giving away mixtapes for free whenever he sold drugs—back when that was still his side hustle. He literally used drug dealing as a way to fund his rap career.
Why the 2025 Pardon Actually Matters
For years, the Jelly Roll criminal record was a logistical nightmare.
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In early 2024, he was complaining to Jon Bon Jovi in Interview Magazine that he couldn't even book a tour in the UK, Australia, or Canada. Every time he wanted to cross a border, it took a "mountain of paperwork" and a team of lawyers. Sometimes, they still said no.
The pardon changes the game.
Governor Bill Lee granted the pardon on December 18, 2025. It doesn't "erase" the history—it’s not an expungement—but it’s a formal act of forgiveness from the state.
What the pardon does for him:
- Restores Civil Rights: He can finally vote again.
- International Travel: It clears the path for a true world tour without the constant fear of being turned away at customs.
- Missionary Work: He’s been vocal about wanting to do Christian missionary work abroad, which was previously blocked.
The Expert Perspective: Is He Really "Clear"?
Legal experts, like his attorney David Raybin, emphasize that a pardon is a massive character endorsement. The Tennessee Board of Parole voted unanimously to recommend him for clemency.
They didn't just look at his record; they looked at what he did after.
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He donated $250,000 to build a recording studio in the very juvenile center where he was once held. He testified before Congress about the fentanyl crisis, admitting his own role in the drug trade while pleading for help for addicts.
That nuance is why the pardon went through. It wasn't just because he's famous; it's because he spent 15 years proving he wasn't that 16-year-old kid anymore.
What You Should Do Next
If you’ve been following Jelly Roll’s story because you’re dealing with your own legal hurdles or just love a good redemption arc, there are a few real-world takeaways here.
- Check Your Local Pardon Laws: Every state is different. In Tennessee, you have to wait at least five years after your sentence expires to even apply. If you have a record, look up the specific "Clemency" or "Pardon" board for your state to see the timeline.
- Documentation is Key: Jelly Roll won because he had a mountain of evidence showing his "rehabilitation"—charity work, stable employment, and public service. If you're seeking a second chance, start building that "good guy" paper trail now.
- Follow the Advocacy: Keep an eye on the FEND Off Fentanyl Act, which Jelly Roll supported. It’s a major piece of legislation that targets the financial side of drug trafficking.
The Jelly Roll criminal record isn't just a list of mistakes anymore. It's basically a roadmap of how he became the person he is today. He’s no longer just a "felon"—he’s a guy with a clean slate and a global tour on the horizon.