San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York pleaded no contest Monday to two misdemeanor charges stemming from his arrest in Ohio on suspicion of engaging in prostitution, according to Columbiana County court records.
York, who has been the 49ers’ chief executive officer since 2008 and became the team’s majority owner in 2024, was arrested Sunday morning in East Palestine, Ohio. According to an arrest report filed by the East Palestine Police Department, York was taken into custody at 9:35 a.m. at the Wheat Hill Mobile Home Community.
Authorities said York was arrested as part of an operation involving the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force. Court records allege that York responded to an undercover advertisement on a known prostitution website and arranged to meet a woman for sexual activity in exchange for $140.
According to the records, York arrived at the meeting location carrying the cellphone that had been used to arrange the encounter. Police subsequently arrested him.
York initially faced misdemeanor charges of engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools. As part of a plea agreement reached Monday, the prostitution charge was amended to misdemeanor disorderly conduct.
York pleaded no contest to the two charges and was ordered to pay $1,150 in fines — $150 for the disorderly conduct charge and $1,000 for the criminal tools charge. He also received a one-day jail sentence for each charge, with one day already credited as served.
Columbiana County Prosecutor Vito Abruzzino confirmed to ESPN that the charges were reduced through a plea agreement but said he could not provide additional details about the case.
The arrest comes during a significant personal transition for York. According to court documents filed in Santa Clara County, California, York filed for divorce from his wife, Danielle, in May.
York, a Youngstown, Ohio, native, has been one of the most influential figures in the 49ers organization for nearly two decades. He took over as the team’s chief executive officer in 2008 and has overseen one of the most successful periods in franchise history.
Under York’s leadership, San Francisco has reached the Super Bowl three times. The 49ers lost to the Baltimore Ravens following the 2012 season under coach Jim Harbaugh and suffered defeats against the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2019 and 2023 seasons under head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch.
York also played a major role in the development of Levi’s Stadium, which opened in Santa Clara in 2014 when the franchise moved out of San Francisco. The stadium has since hosted major sporting events, including two Super Bowls, a FIFA World Cup match and a College Football Playoff championship game.
The latest legal development now puts one of the NFL’s most prominent owners in the spotlight for reasons far removed from the football field. The 49ers have not publicly announced any organizational changes related to York’s arrest or Monday’s plea agreement.
