Singer Jelly Roll goes 'from convict to deputy' in emotional ceremony in Flint, Michigan

Jason Bradley DeFord, better known by his stage name “Jelly Roll,” just received a major title at Michigan.

Sheriff Christopher Swanson swore DeFord in as a Community Cares Task Force deputy, prompting the singer to declare that he has gone “from convict to deputy.” A video of the ceremony was uploaded to the Instagram page of a local radio station, capturing the emotional moment.

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“This is the real deal. You walk into any facility now, you can tell them you're a Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy,” Swanson can be heard saying.

DeFord has previously explained that he was convicted of aggravated robbery and possession with intent to sell, a crime that has followed him to this day. Despite being 16 at the time of the crime, he was charged as an adult and spent a year in prison and the next seven years on probation. Although he has successfully turned his life around and made a killing in the music industry, he is still unable to travel to some countries due to the felony conviction.

“I wouldn't be the man I am today if it wasn't for what I've been through. I think it empowered me. I think it gave me my voice,” the singer said during the 2023 CMAs. “It taught me a lot about overcoming. It taught me a lot about change and the ability to change.”

“I was a horrible human being for decades, and just being able to turn that around and put a message in music and help people… and try to give back as much as I can in every possible way is very indicative of where I come from and how important it is to me to always be behind,” he continued.

Writer/Columnist

Sierra Marlee is a millennial whose hunger for truth in a world of fake news has brought her to BizPac Review.

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