Wynonna Judd's daughter Grace Kelley appears in Alabama court to beg judge for her release after exposing herself on a busy highway

Country music icon Wynonna Judd's troubled daughter Grace Kelley made a desperate emotional plea to a judge Thursday to free her from jail – after admitting two charges following her arrest for exposing herself beside a busy highway.

The 27-year-old single mom cut a forlorn figure in handcuffs and an orange jump suit before Judge Bradley Ekdahl, begging him: 'I'm trying to start over. I'm trying to get home, you know, for my family.'

Heavily-tattooed Kelley, who has a two-year-old daughter, desperately tried to bargain with the judge about jail time in the courtroom in the small city of Millbrook, Alabama, where she was arrested on April 5.

But Ekdahl slapped down her attempts for lighter sentences, telling her bluntly: 'I will not treat you differently than anybody else.'

There was no sign at court of Kelley's multi-award winning mother Wynonna, reported to be worth $12million. Nor were there indications of anyone else supporting her, apart from her judge-appointed attorney.

Grace Kelley, 27, appeared in Alabama court Thursday. As she left the courthouse she flashed the camera two middle fingers and stuck out her tongue 

She has been charged with soliciting for prostitution, indecent exposure and obstructing government operations

Kelley was shepherded back into the white jail van with other jump-suited inmates after everyone's case had been heard – as revealed in exclusive DailyMail.com pictures

The judge slapped down her attempts for lighter sentences, telling her bluntly: 'I will not treat you differently than anybody else'

There was no sign at court of Kelley's multi-award winning mother Wynonna, reported to be worth $12million. Nor were there indications of anyone else supporting her, apart from her judge-appointed attorney

The verbal exchange came after Kelley was brought to the court from nearby Elmore County Jail in a white van with other jump-suited inmates.

Looking gaunt and with her hair tied up, she was the first of those to be hauled before the judge. Two police officers moved to stand rigidly to one side of her.

The daughter from Judd's first marriage to businessman Arch Kelley III faced a charge of soliciting for prostitution, which was dismissed.

After leaving a court-ordered drug recovery program, Kelley was sentenced to eight years and served time at a rehabilitation center in Nashville

Meanwhile a charge of indecent exposure was reduced to lewd conduct, which she admitted and was fined $200 with 90 days jail suspended. It means she will not have to register as a sex offender because it is a Class C misdemeanor.

Kelley also admitted obstructing government officials, effectively not cooperating with police when arrested, and for that was fined $500 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 30 suspended. In total, her fines and costs total $1,122 – and she is still on a $3,000 cash bond.

Judge Ekdalh told her she had 39 days jail time left when days served were taken into account. As that sunk in, Kelley pleaded about getting back to her 'family' and tried to bargain: 'Can you sentence me to 60 days, with 30 suspended?'

She then frantically mumbled something indistinct, at which point the judge reminded her that she wasn't a special case.

One faint route to freedom would be the judge considering releasing her if she paid the fines and cash bond, despite the sentencing.

But her court-appointed attorney David Musgrove told the bench: 'She doesn't have access to money right now and is not expecting anyone to come up with some any time soon.'

After the case, he told DailyMail.com: 'She has no means to pay the fine or bond. If she did, she might stand a chance of being freed if the moneys were paid and I made an application to the judge.

'Judges can consider that. But that's not happening today.'

Asked if Kelley's mother – whose music career includes 19 No1 hits – had been in touch with his client, he said: 'I'd rather not go into that.'

Kelley's famous mother Wynonna Judd was nowhere to be seen at Thursday's hearing  (pictured: Kelley and Judd in 2005)

Kelley gave birth to her daughter, Kaliyah, while on a temporary leave of absence from jail in March 2022

Kelley is being held at the Elmore County Jail on $3,000 bond 

Kelley was shepherded back into the white jail van with other jump-suited inmates after everyone's case had been heard – as revealed in exclusive DailyMail.com pictures.

And as the transport returned to the county lock-up, she defiantly made a two-fingered gesture to our photographer, while sticking out her tongue.

The sentencing comes as DailyMail.com can reveal Kelley has allegedly been causing unrest in the county jail.

A source revealed: 'She's been causing a ruckus and isn't popular with other inmates. Some of them have had privileges taken away because of her antics.' The source would not go into further details.

Country star Wynonna, 59, is reported to have been pushed to the edge over her troubled daughter, according to sources who previously spoke with DailyMail.com.

'Wynonna is very distraught over Grace's arrest because she has been working so hard to reestablish her relationship with Grace. But she feels like there is nothing she can do anymore and she powerless,' one said.

'Whenever Grace gets back on track, she falls right off again and it is a pattern that has no end.'

The source had said Wynonna was prepared to look after Grace's daughter Kaliyah if she stayed in jail, but was praying it wouldn't happen.

'She just doesn't know if there is anything else she can do except for what she is doing already,' said the source.

'Wynonna truly only wants the best for her and prays for her non-stop, but she does blame herself for Grace's misfortunes – especially her addiction.'

Kelley, who has served five prison terms for various drug raps, was charged with exposing herself near an intersection of busy Highway 14 and Interstate 65 during her latest run-in with the law.

Millbrook police chief P.K. Johnson told DailyMail.com exclusively after her arrest that she was partially dressed and holding up a sign that read: 'A Ride for a Ride.' This was the basis for the now-dropped soliciting for prostitution charge.

He told us: 'We responded to two calls involving her. In the first, she was observed in the area of businesses on Highway 14 near Murphy Oil by Walmart. She had a sign, displayed that said, 'A Ride for a Ride'.

'And when she made contact with our officers, she argued with them about the legality of what she was doing. And that it was not illegal for her to offer herself in exchange for rides.'

The cops asked her to move on. A short while later police were called to a Circle K gas station on the same highway but closer to Interstate 65.

'Apparently Kelley went into the store and announced to people inside, including the clerk, that she had possibly been robbed,' said Johnson.

'While there, she apparently caused a disturbance with some of the customers. She left prior to our arrival but we made contact with her shortly afterwards.'

Sources tell DailyMail.com that her famous mother is 'distraught and powerless' over her troubled daughter

Kelley was spotted allegedly holding up a sign reading 'A Ride for a Ride' at several businesses along a Millbrook highway

The 27-year-old spent years in and out of Tennessee prisons on drug-related charges. Her rap sheet includes pleading guilty in 2017 to the manufacture, delivery and sale of methamphetamine

Kelley had most recently been released from jail in December 2022, but was re-arrested on May 2023 on charges of breaching a restraining order and violating her parole

Officers found Kelley had moved on to where the highway intersects with the interstate. 'And by that time she was still displaying the signage,' said Johnson.

'She was not appropriately dressed. She didn't have the things covered that needed to be covered. And she was holding the 'Ride for a Ride' sign while she was in that state and with drivers going by, displaying herself.'

Police Chief P.K. Johnson told DailyMail.com that Kelley argued with officers, insisting that it was not illegal to 'offer herself in exchange for rides'

He continued: 'She was argumentative and refused to cooperate in any way with officers who attempted to ID her and find out if there were any outstanding warrants. She was belligerent and argumentative.

'And at that point, based on what they had dealt with in both contacts, officers made the decision to go ahead and arrest her for initially what was obstruction of governmental operation – that's refusing to identify herself and her attitude with law enforcement.'

Kelley did not have any controlled substances or paraphernalia on her when she was brought in, said Johnson.

At the time, the chief said he understood Wynonna had not personally contacted Millbrook police and courts about her daughter.

Instead, a representative had been in touch with the court 'inquiring about her to find out what she was charged with and what her condition was'.

He continued: 'I have not talked with her mother. I have spoken with her father. He called to check on her and asked the questions you might expect a father to ask about his child.

'I got the feeling through the conversation that I had with him that he's very concerned about his daughter. And what it would take to get her out of jail – and what the ramifications of the criminal charges would be.

'I have dealt with parents in this situation who don't have the means that these people do. But I don't think it's as much about as, what are they going to do? Sometimes it's about what have they already done to help.

'I got the feeling in talking with him, and this is just my opinion, that they've tried to help her and to no avail to this point. There have probably been many attempts on their part to get this young lady help.'

While Kelley's descent from a privileged background has made news for years, Johnson said: 'I believe the story here is not that a celebrity's daughter was arrested. I think the story is there are a lot of people out there in this situation.

'And no matter what their circumstances that got them there, they are there and they need help.'

It is not known what Kelley was doing in Millbrook as she doesn't appear to have any connection to the area. According to records, her last formal address is in Franklin, Tennessee, where her mother lives with third husband Scott Moser.

Despite her daughter's serious legal problems, Wynonna called her the 'strongest Judd woman' on The Pursuit! With John Rich in 2020 

Kelley's rap sheet includes pleading guilty in 2017 to the manufacture, delivery and sale of methamphetamine.

After leaving a court-ordered drug recovery program, she was sentenced to eight years and served time at the Debra K Johnson Rehabilitation Center in Nashville, Tennessee.

However she was paroled in 2019, then found herself in and out of prison again on drugs charges.

While on a temporary leave of absence from jail in March 2022, she gave birth to Kaliyah. It has been reported Wynonna has been taking care of the toddler.

In 2023, she served a five-month sentence at Putnam County Jail in Tennessee after she was arrested in May of that year for violating parole and an order of protection.

She had been released from jail in December 2022, but was re-arrested on May 1, 2023, on charges of breaching a restraining order and violating her parole.

Despite her daughter's serious legal problems, Wynonna called her the 'strongest Judd woman' on The Pursuit! With John Rich in 2020.

'I will tell you this. My daughter is the strongest Judd woman in our 'herstory,' Wynonna told Rich.

'She's healthier than I was at 23. How she got there – I would not go that way, but I was also sequestered,' Wynonna told the show's host.

In 2023, it was revealed that Wynonna has had a rocky relationship with her daughter through the years and in 2013, Wynonna's actress sister Ashley Judd obtained temporary custody of Grace.

Grace first made in headlines in 2011 at the age of 15 when she disappeared for days when she had a flight layover on her way home from the boarding school she attended.