Might not be a convicted felon for much longer. Jelly Roll is one of the biggest names in country music at the moment, with two Grammy nominations under his belt, a CMA Award for New Artist of the Year, and a two ACM Award nominations for Entertainer of the Year. He also has six #1 singles at country radio in just three years, and has gone from selling out small rooms as a rapper to selling out massive amphitheaters and arenas as one of country music’s biggest stars. And one of the reasons that he’s been so popular is because he’s also been so open about his past. The rapper-turned-country star, whose real name is Jason DeFord, spent time locked up here in Nashville for drug charges, as well as armed robbery, and as a result he now has to deal with everything that comes with being a convicted felon. During the 2024 election, Jelly Roll clarified that he wasn’t able to vote because of his felonies, and he’s also revealed that his criminal history causes problems when it comes to touring internationally and entering other countries. But that might not be a problem for much longer. Last year, Davidson County Sheriff Daron Hall asked Tennessee Governor Bill Lee to grant Jelly Roll a full pardon. And today, he revealed that the recommendation was accepted by the full Board of Parole, meaning the only thing left to wipe away Jelly Roll’s criminal record is for Governor Lee to sign the pardon. A year ago, I wrote ⁦@GovBillLee⁩ asking for a full Pardon for Jason “Jelly Roll” Deford…..today the Board unanimously recommended his Pardon. It’s now in the hands of our Governor. pic.twitter.com/NACZOGW2y0 — Daron Hall (@DaronHall7) April 22, 2025 There’s no doubt that if anybody deserves a pardon, it’s Jelly Roll. The country star spends much of his time helping out not only in his community but across the country while on tour. He recently organized the largest toy drive in Nashville history, and has also helped fund a new Juvenile Justice campus here in Nashville, in addition to the music studio that he’s opened in the current juvenile detention facility – the same one that he was locked up in as a teenager. Jelly Roll also spends a lot of time visiting with inmates and folks suffering from addiction, offering them words of encouragement and sharing his own story of overcoming his struggles. He’s also become a leading voice in advocating for solutions to the fentanyl crisis, testifying in front of Congress last year on the effect that addiction has had on himself and his family and the need for legislative action: “I’m not here to defend the use of illegal drugs. And I also understand the paradox of my history as a drug dealer standing in front of this committee. But equally I think that’s what makes me perfect to talk about this. I was a part of the problem. I am here now standing as a man that wants to be part of the solution. I brought my community down. I hurt people. I was the uneducated man in the kitchen playing chemist with drugs I knew absolutely nothing about, just like these drug dealers are doing right now when they’re mixing every drug on the market with fentanyl. And they’re killing the people we love.” I know there are people who say that if you committed a crime you should have to deal with the consequences. But if there was ever a redemption story and someone worthy of forgiveness in the eyes of the law, it’s Jelly Roll. Let’s make it happen, Governor Lee.The post Nashville Sheriff Asks Governor To Grant Jelly Roll A Full Pardon For Past Convictions first appeared on Whiskey Riff.