49ers Owner Jed York Pleads No Contest to Misdemeanor Charges in Ohio
San Francisco 49ers principal owner Jed York was arrested in East Palestine, Ohio, over the weekend and pleaded no contest Monday to two misdemeanor charges, according to multiple reports. The charges were disorderly conduct and possessing criminal tools.
York, 46, was arrested Sunday at the Wheat Hill Mobile Home Community off State Route 170, according to a police report. Initial reports indicated he was first charged with engaging in prostitution, a charge that was later amended to disorderly conduct. The arrest was made by the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force, with assistance from the East Palestine Police Department.
York was booked Sunday morning and released that afternoon. Reports differ on the bond: one says he posted a $5,000 bond, while another says he was released on an Own Recognizance (OR) bond, as confirmed by the Columbiana County Sheriff's Office.
In court Monday, York pleaded no contest to both charges. He was sentenced to two days in Columbiana County Jail, with the sentences running concurrently, and ordered to pay $1,150 in fines: $150 for disorderly conduct and $1,000 for possessing criminal tools. Court records also ordered a cellular device returned to York and $160 that was seized to be forfeited to the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force as part of an agreement.
WKBN reported that court orders called for York's cell phone to be returned to him and that $160 seized in the case was ordered forfeited to the task force. The station did not provide additional details about the circumstances leading to the charges.
York's attorney and the 49ers did not immediately respond to requests for comment, according to reports. The NFL also did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and there has been no public announcement from the league about any review or disciplinary action.
Background on York and the 49ers
York has deep ties to the Youngstown, Ohio, area. He is a native of Youngstown and graduated from Cardinal Mooney High School. The DeBartolo and York families have long had a presence in the area, and York's parents own a home nearby.
The York family took control of the 49ers in 2000 after then-owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr. ceded the franchise to his sister, Denise DeBartolo York, following a corruption case in Louisiana. Jed York began working under his father, acting owner John York, in the early 2000s and became the franchise's CEO in 2008, running day-to-day activities. In 2024, he acquired enough of his mother's stake to become the principal owner.
York and 49ers Enterprises also co-own Leeds United in the English Premier League and Rangers F.C. in the Scottish Premiership.
Team and League Context
The arrest comes as the 49ers prepare for their September 10 regular-season opener against the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia. The team has twice practiced in the Youngstown area while preparing for games in the Eastern time zone.
York remains at the top of the 49ers organization. The title of CEO changed earlier this year when Al Guido was named to the role in February, but York continues as principal owner and remains involved in leadership. Football operations leaders John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan, along with Guido, report directly to York.
The NFL's Personal Conduct Policy covers owners, coaches, players, directors, and other league and team personnel. It remains unclear whether the league will open a review of the matter.