Background Check Podcast
After five DWI’s landed me prison, something had to change. One day I got into a fight and I spent eight days in solitaire confinement thinking about my life and the decisions I had made that led me to that dark place, literally. I came out of the hole a different man with a different heart, mind, soul, direction, and outlook on life. I got mentored by a couple of inmates who eventually made parole but within a year they were both back in. This confused me and ticked me off. I wondered how I was going to make it out there. Since my release in 2006 we’ve opened up a transitional house for men, with another ”ranch” coming, launched a documentary, been on the Mike Huckabee Show, launched this podcast, and it goes into prisons all over the nation.
Listen on:
Episodes
Saturday Jan 24, 2026
Saturday Jan 24, 2026
Jessa and Jay Dan do a quick Check In, highlighting two successful former inmates, talk about sports, fine arts, the sleet that's happening in the Dallas area, and we they pray over the inmates.
Wednesday Jan 21, 2026
Wednesday Jan 21, 2026
We are bringing back the shorter episodes, Background Check In's, to hold us over til the next full episode is ready.
Preparation. Prayer.
Have a great day.
Monday Jan 19, 2026
Monday Jan 19, 2026
We are bringing back the shorter episodes, Background Check In's, to hold us over til the next full episode is ready.
Have a great day.
Friday Dec 26, 2025
Friday Dec 26, 2025
This is our annual tour of lights for the men and women still incarcerated.
Before we start the tour, we do announcements, recap of events like Christmas party, talk sports, show video shout outs from residents and other organizations.
This episode plays on their tablets inside prisons and jails across the nation. They can call their loved ones on the tablets, and the whole family can look at lights together.
This year, we had technical trouble at Prairie Lights so we went to Dallas Zoo Lights.
We did salvage a couple of angles from Prairie Lights that we added to the end.
To partner with us please click here: https://www.forgivenfelons.org/support
Other ways to support us: Cash App: $ForgivenFelons
Mail Check to: Forgiven Felons PO Box 4283Cedar Hill, TX 75106
Forgiven Felons and Background Check Merchandise https://www.forgivenfelons.org/shop
Are you in the market, or are wondering if you’re in a good position to buy a home, first time buyer, or refinance your current home? Jessamy Gumm, with Cross Country Mortgage can help. 972-897-5476 to get your journey started. Or email her at Jessamy.gumm@ccm.com
Your background shouldn’t HOLD you back, it should PAY you back.
Wednesday Dec 24, 2025
Wednesday Dec 24, 2025
John Montana performs "There For You"
Written by John Montana and Terry Solley
We air this here but it's for the men and women behind bars to enjoy too. If you have a loved one on the inside, across the nation, tell them to watch on the Edovo app, the Podcast App (Securus), the NCIC tablet (county jails).
To partner with us please click here: https://www.forgivenfelons.org/support
Other ways to support us:
Cash App: $ForgivenFelons
Mail Check to:
Forgiven Felons
PO Box 4283Cedar Hill, TX 75106
Forgiven Felons and Background Check Merchandise
https://www.forgivenfelons.org/shop
Are you in the market, or are wondering if you’re in a good position to buy a home, first time buyer, or refinance your current home?
Jessamy Gumm, with Cross Country Mortgage can help. 972-897-5476 to get your journey started. Or email her at Jessamy.gumm@ccm.com
Your background shouldn’t HOLD you back, it should PAY you back.
Wednesday Dec 24, 2025
Wednesday Dec 24, 2025
In this episode we sit down with John Montana. John is an author, speaker, father, husband, and prison minister.
He comes from a family of partiers but now, they’re all prison ministers and serving the Lord.
After having surgery at a young age, he became addicted to Vicodin and then eventually found Zannax. While giving his child a bath, an accident happened and his child was burned. He felt so guilty and ashamed, that he prayed and told God that if He gave him 30 years he would sign it.
He was offered 30 years so he took it. What seemed like the end, was only the beginning.
After a conversation with an atheist, and a visit with his grandma, He gave his heart to the Lord and began growing every day. While in prison, he got his B.S. in Biblical Studies from Southwestern Baptist Seminary.
He was also part of the Field Minister team and the worship team. When he entered prison he had a 3rd grade reading level. You will want to hear him tell his story, part of his dad’s and sister’s story and how they’ve all broken al the generational curses in their family.
He also sings a couple Christmas songs and original songs for the men and women behind bars.
To buy John’s book: https://a.co/d/ayQIv4L
To partner with us please click here: https://www.forgivenfelons.org/support
Other ways to support us: Cash App: $ForgivenFelons
Mail Check to: Forgiven Felons PO Box 4283Cedar Hill, TX 75106
Forgiven Felons and Background Check Merchandise https://www.forgivenfelons.org/shop
Would you like to be a sponsor on the show? Contact Jay Dan at jaydangumm@forgivenfelons.org
Are you in the market, or are wondering if you’re in a good position to buy a home, first time buyer, or refinance your current home? Jessamy Gumm, with Cross Country Mortgage can help. 972-897-5476 to get your journey started. Or email her at Jessamy.gumm@ccm.com
Your background shouldn’t HOLD you back, it should PAY you back.
Saturday Dec 13, 2025
Saturday Dec 13, 2025
In this episode, we sit down with the CEO of I Scoop Poop, Steven Trevino.
We had fun recording this episode. We talked about everything from him getting hooked on hydrocodone at 15 after an injury, to how he started his poop scooping company while still on an ankle monitor.
We laughed hard when he tells the story of him waiting on the corner, in the middle of a neighborhood, with bags of poop, waiting on his dad to come get him. We also laughed when he prayed and asked God, “Dear Lord, help me whoop this fool”
I saw his Facebook post a few months ago and knew we had to get him on the show. This is the first time he has begun sharing his story publicly and he did a great job. He share’s some hard stories where he was forced to fight but those scenarios are what led him to a deeper relationship with God.
He started his poop scooping company on foot, in his neighborhood, on ankle monitor, with no drivers license.
He spent federal and state prison time but since then, he’s gotten married and had his first child on November 7th.
You will love Steven’s story and I promise there’s someone out there to share this story with someone.
Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel so you won’t miss an episode.
Please visit our sponsor’s website:
The Way Back
RETURNING TO THE DALLAS AREA WHEN RELEASED?
THE WAY BACK IS HERE WITH THE SUPPORT AND SERVICES YOU NEED FOR A SUCCESSFUL
REENTRY JOURNEY.
https://thewaybackhouse.org
To partner with us please click here: https://www.forgivenfelons.org/support
Other ways to support us:
Cash App: $ForgivenFelons
Mail Check to:
Forgiven Felons
PO Box 4283Cedar Hill, TX 75106
Forgiven Felons and Background Check Merchandise
https://www.forgivenfelons.org/shop
Are you in the market, or are wondering if you’re in a good position to buy a home, first time buyer, or refinance your current home?
Jessamy Gumm, with Cross Country Mortgage can help. 972-897-5476 to get your journey started. Or email her at Jessamy.gumm@ccm.com
Your background shouldn’t HOLD you back, it should PAY you back.
Thursday Nov 27, 2025
Thursday Nov 27, 2025
In this episode, Jessa and Jay Dan recap the Forgiven Felons Thanksgiving Open House, Jay Dan’s trip to Chicago to see the Steelers and visit Stateville prison, tell thanksgiving jokes, and so much more.
We talk about the upcoming Building Blocks 4 Kids event we are having so please sign your kids up.
We share a devotion on remaining stable in this unstable world.
And we do Thanksgiving shout outs from loved ones.
Please subscribe to our channel and share it with someone you think might be encouraged by our show.
Please visit our sponsor’s website:
The Way Back
RETURNING TO THE DALLAS AREA WHEN RELEASED?
THE WAY BACK IS HERE WITH THE SUPPORT AND SERVICES YOU NEED FOR A SUCCESSFUL
REENTRY JOURNEY.
https://thewaybackhouse.org
To Register for the Building Blocks 4 Kids event
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/building-blocks-4-kids-forgiven-felons-tickets-1965218456305?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl
To partner with us please click here: https://www.forgivenfelons.org/support
Forgiven Felons and Background Check Merchandise
https://www.forgivenfelons.org/shop
Are you in the market, or are wondering if you’re in a good position to buy a home, first time buyer, or refinance your current home?
Jessamy Gumm, with Cross Country Mortgage can help. 972-897-5476 to get your journey started. Or email her at Jessamy.gumm@ccm.com
Your background shouldn’t HOLD you back, it should PAY you back.
Tuesday Nov 11, 2025
Tuesday Nov 11, 2025
In this episode, Jay Dan and Jessa share big events coming soon, air some shout outs from men who just got out, tell jokes, talk about our fishing trip, and the golf outing.
We share our Thanksgiving gatherings coming up. First one is this Saturday and the second one is on Thanksgiving day. Details in the podcast.
We also share about a community event coming up that is for justice impacted kids. Whether the kids parents are still in prison or already out, we'd love for them to join us. Details in the podcast.
Please subscribe to our channel and share it with someone you think might be encouraged by our show.
Please visit our sponsor’s website: The Way Back
RETURNING TO THE DALLAS AREA WHEN RELEASED? THE WAY BACK IS HERE WITH THE SUPPORT AND SERVICES YOU NEED FOR A SUCCESSFUL REENTRY JOURNEY.
https://thewaybackhouse.org
To partner with us please click here:
https://www.forgivenfelons.org/support
Forgiven Felons and Background Check Merchandise:
https://www.forgivenfelons.org/shop
Are you in the market, or are wondering if you’re in a good position to buy a home, first time buyer, or refinance your current home? Jessamy Gumm, with Cross Country Mortgage can help. 972-897-5476 to get your journey started. Or email her at Jessamy.gumm@ccm.com
Your background shouldn’t HOLD you back, it should PAY you back.
Sunday Nov 09, 2025
Sunday Nov 09, 2025
One of my favorite episodes.
I know I say this a lot, but Cassie has helped so many of our men coming to the transitional house. The Way Back has been a sponsor of the show for a while now, and even though we had the directors on the audio version a long time ago, we have been waiting to get them back on in studio.
Cassie is a case manager for The Way Back, and Drew, who has his own amazing story, is her husband, and he joins the conversation. He's a master plumber. Cassie is on her journey to be an LCDC.
They share everything in their addiction journey, including the way they met on Social Media (hint, POKE). They share parenting tips as well as talk about how they had to get rid of music that wasn't Christian music because it as pushing them further from God.
You will laugh, cry a little, and want to share this with someone you know. Please subscribe to our channel and share it with someone you think might be encouraged by their story.
Please visit our sponsor’s website:
The Way Back! RETURNING TO THE DALLAS AREA WHEN RELEASED? THE WAY BACK IS HERE WITH THE SUPPORT AND SERVICES YOU NEED FOR A SUCCESSFUL REENTRY JOURNEY.
https://thewaybackhouse.org/
To partner with us please click here: https://www.forgivenfelons.org/shop
Forgiven Felons and Background Check Merchandise: https://www.forgivenfelons.org/shop
Are you in the market, or are wondering if you’re in a good position to buy a home, first time buyer, or refinance your current home? Jessamy Gumm, with Cross Country Mortgage can help. 972-897-5476 to get your journey started. Or email her at Jessamy.gumm@ccm.com
Your background shouldn’t HOLD you back, it should PAY you back.