WWE celebrity Jelly Roll granted pardon for past crimes
Country music star Jelly Roll got some great news this holiday season as he was pardoned for his criminal past.
Capping off a year that saw him make his WWE in-ring debut, Jelly Roll (Jason DeFord) was one of 33 people to receive pardons from Tennessee Governor Bill Lee this week. The pardons are for drug-related and robbery felonies that caused Jelly Roll to spend time in jail before later turning his life around. He’s become a redemptive figure through openly talking about the struggles he went through.
A meeting between Jelly Roll and Lee took place on Thursday, though it was noted that Jelly Roll’s application underwent the same review process as other applicants. The parole board unanimously recommended his pardon.
“His story is remarkable, and it’s a redemptive, powerful story, which is what you look for and what you hope for,” Lee said.
The pardon will restore civil rights to the 41-year-old Jelly Roll and make it easier for him to travel internationally.
Jelly Roll, a huge WWE fan, had his first pro wrestling match at SummerSlam 2025. He took the loss in a tag team bout where he teamed with Randy Orton against Logan Paul & Drew McIntyre. He is determined to wrestle again at least one more time and would even like to do a run with WWE where he competes every week for months. He was highly praised within WWE for his work ethic and how seriously he took the preparation for his in-ring debut.
In his music career, Jelly Roll is up for three Grammys in the 2026 awards.
Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.
In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.