Arrest and Plea

San Francisco 49ers CEO and principal owner Jed York was arrested on Sunday in East Palestine, Ohio, and pleaded no contest on Monday to two misdemeanor charges, according to court documents and multiple reports.

York, 46, was initially charged with engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools, after allegedly responding to an ad on a prostitution website and arranging sexual activity for $140, as detailed in court documents. The arrest took place at the Wheat Hill Mobile Home Community, where a Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force agent found York had "in his possession his cellular device which was used to arrange the criminal act," according to court records.

By Monday, prosecutors had reduced the prostitution charge to disorderly conduct, and York pleaded no contest to that charge and to possessing criminal tools. Reports differ on the exact sentence: some say he was ordered to serve one day in jail with credit for time served, while another report states he was sentenced to two days, served concurrently. All accounts agree he paid $1,150 in fines and forfeited $160 that authorities had seized, with the forfeited amount going to the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force as part of the plea agreement. He also completed an online course, though the nature of the course was not stated.

York posted a $5,000 bond after his arrest, according to one report. His cellphone was returned by police after the possessing criminal tools charge was resolved.

Team and League Response

The NFL said it was aware of the matter. "We are aware of the matter which will be reviewed under the personal conduct policy," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said in a statement. The league's personal conduct policy applies to all league personnel, not only players, meaning York could face discipline.

The 49ers issued a brief statement Monday afternoon: "As this is a legal matter, which has been resolved, we will not be providing any further comment at this time."

Who Is Jed York?

York, born and raised in Youngstown, Ohio, is the oldest son of Denise DeBartolo York and John York, the 49ers' co-chairmen, and the nephew of former owner Edward DeBartolo Jr. He has been part of the franchise for nearly 20 years. After graduating from the University of Notre Dame in 2003, he began his career as a financial analyst at Guggenheim Partners in New York before joining the family business as the 49ers' director of strategic planning.

He became team president in 2008 and CEO in 2010, according to most reports, though one account says he became CEO in 2012. He became the team's principal owner in 2024 after purchasing his mother's equity. During his tenure, the 49ers have won five NFC West titles, appeared in seven NFC Championship Games and three Super Bowls, but have not won a Super Bowl.

York oversaw the opening of Levi's Stadium in 2014 and has been involved in efforts to attract major events to the stadium, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Forbes ranked the 49ers as the fifth-most valuable NFL team in 2025, at an estimated $8.5 billion. Beyond football, York's family, through 49ers Enterprises, purchased the English soccer club Leeds United in July 2023.

York is married to Danielle, and they have two sons, according to the team's homepage. He is slated to remain involved with the team, with reports indicating he will be in Las Vegas Thursday for a preseason game against the Raiders and that the 49ers play the Giants in New York on Dec. 6.