49ers Owner Jed York Pleads No Contest to Misdemeanors in Ohio
San Francisco 49ers owner John "Jed" York pleaded no contest on Monday to two misdemeanor charges in Columbiana County, Ohio, following an arrest over the weekend, according to court records and multiple reports.
The charges stem from an incident that led to York's arrest on Sunday at the Wheat Hill Mobile Home Community in East Palestine, Ohio. The East Palestine Police Department assisted the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force in the arrest, which occurred at 9:35 a.m., according to a police report obtained by WKBN. The initial charge was engaging in prostitution, which was later amended to disorderly conduct, along with a charge of possessing criminal tools.
York was booked and released on a $5,000 bond. On Monday, he appeared in Columbiana County Municipal Court, where he pleaded no contest to the amended charges. He was sentenced to two days in the Columbiana County Jail, served concurrently, with credit for one day already spent in custody. He was also ordered to pay $1,150 in fines.
As part of the plea agreement, a cellphone seized during the case was returned to York, and $160 was forfeited to the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force, according to court records.
Judge Danielle Menning rejected a request from York's attorney, Frank Cassese, to expunge the conviction, court records show. Cassese did not immediately return a message.
The specific circumstances of the arrest have not been made public, and additional information is expected to come from the task force, which has been contacted for comment.
The San Francisco 49ers issued a statement saying: "As this is a legal matter, which has been resolved, we will not be providing any further comment at this time." An NFL spokesman said the league plans to review the matter under its personal conduct policy.
Background
York, a native of Youngstown, Ohio, and a graduate of Cardinal Mooney High School, became CEO of the 49ers in 2008 and took over as principal owner in 2024. He is part of the York family that has long controlled the franchise.
His mother, Denise DeBartolo York, and her husband, John, gained ownership control of the 49ers in 2000. The team was previously owned by Denise's father, Edward DeBartolo Jr., and her grandfather, Edward DeBartolo Sr., who bought the franchise in 1977.
Edward DeBartolo Jr. stepped away from the team in 1997 amid a Louisiana gambling probe. He later pleaded guilty to failing to report a felony after facing allegations that he paid former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards in exchange for help acquiring a riverboat casino license. The NFL fined DeBartolo $1 million and suspended him for one year. Edwards was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison in 2001, released in 2011, and died in 2021.