San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York pleaded no contest Monday to misdemeanor disorderly conduct and criminal tools charges stemming from an arrest in Ohio over the weekend, resolving a case that drew an NFL personal conduct policy review.
He was arrested Sunday at 9:35 a.m. at the Wheat Hill Mobile Home Community in East Palestine, Ohio, according to an arrest report filed by the East Palestine Police Department. The department assisted the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force in the arrest.
Court records from Columbiana County show York allegedly responded to an undercover advertisement on a website known for prostitution-related activity and arranged to meet someone at the location. He was arrested when he arrived with the cellphone used to arrange the meeting.
Authorities initially charged York with misdemeanor counts of engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools. The prosecution charge was amended to misdemeanor disorderly conduct as part of a plea agreement. York pleaded no contest Monday morning and paid $1,150 in fines, consisting of $150 for the disorderly conduct charge and $1,000 for the criminal tools charge. He was sentenced to one day in jail on each count, with one day considered served.
Columbiana County prosecutor Vito Abruzzino confirmed to ESPN that the charges were reduced as part of a plea agreement and said the outcome was routine for a first-time offender facing those types of charges in that jurisdiction.
The organizational responses
The 49ers said in a statement that the matter had been resolved and that they would not provide further comment because it is a legal matter. York’s attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The NFL said in a statement that the league is aware of the matter and that it will be reviewed under the personal conduct policy. The personal conduct policy applies to all NFL personnel, including owners, and can result in disciplinary action regardless of criminal outcome.
York’s position with the 49ers
York has been the majority owner of the 49ers since 2024 and has served as the team’s chief executive officer since 2008. He is originally from Youngstown, Ohio. He filed for divorce from his wife, Danielle, in May, according to documents filed in Santa Clara County Superior Court in California.
Under his leadership, the 49ers have reached the Super Bowl three times, losing in the 2012 season under coach Jim Harbaugh and in the 2019 and 2023 seasons under Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch. He oversaw the construction of Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, where the team moved in 2014. The stadium has hosted two Super Bowls, a FIFA World Cup match and a College Football Playoff national championship game.
What comes next
The criminal matter is resolved through the plea agreement, but the NFL‘s review under the personal conduct policy is a separate process that could result in additional consequences. The league’s conduct policy has historically been applied to players and team personnel for a range of offenses, and its application to ownership-level cases has drawn scrutiny in recent years.
The 49ers are scheduled to open the 2026 NFL regular season in the coming weeks.
