San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York was arrested in Ohio over the weekend and pleaded no contest Monday to misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and possessing criminal tools.
Court records show York was initially charged with engaging in prostitution, but prosecutors amended the charge to disorderly conduct. He also was charged with possessing criminal tools after allegedly using his cellphone to respond to an undercover online prostitution advertisement, according to prosecutors.
York was arrested Sunday morning at a mobile home community in East Palestine, Ohio, near Youngstown, where he was born and raised. He was released after posting a $5,000 bond.
York was sentenced to one day in jail on each charge, with the sentences to be served concurrently. He was credited with one day served after entering his no-contest pleas Monday morning. He was also fined $1,150.
As part of the plea agreement, York's cellphone was returned to him, while $160 seized during the investigation was ordered to be given to the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force. York also completed an online course required under the agreement.
Columbiana County Prosecutor Vito Abruzzino said most prostitution cases typically end in plea agreements.
"Each case is looked at individually and for specific facts of the conduct, what evidence the police provide, and input from the arresting officer," he said in an email. "You also have to factor in criminal history of the defendant, and whether or not they have committed these types of offenses in the past, and importantly, what the judges will allow."
The NFL issued a statement saying the league was aware of the arrest and would review it under its personal conduct policy. Owners are subject to possible fines or suspensions for violating the personal conduct policy.
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft was investigated but not punished by the league after he was arrested in Florida in 2019 for allegedly paying for sex with a woman at a massage parlor. The charge was later dropped after a court ruled that police violated the rights of Kraft and the other customers when they secretly installed video cameras inside massage rooms at the spa.
The team said it would not comment on the situation.
"As this is a legal matter, which has been resolved, we will not be providing any further comment at this time," the team said in a statement.
York took over day-to-day control of the 49ers from his parents in 2008. He became the team's principal owner in 2024. After some initial struggles under York's leadership, the team has been a consistent contender since hiring coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch in 2017.
The Niners have made the Super Bowl three times under York's leadership, losing in the 2012 season under coach Jim Harbaugh and in the 2019 and 2023 seasons under Shanahan and Lynch.
York also oversaw the building of Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The team moved from San Francisco to the new stadium in 2014. The stadium has hosted two Super Bowls, a World Cup and a College Football Playoff championship game.
