San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York was arrested over the weekend in Ohio and pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and possession of criminal tools. Court records show York was initially charged with engaging in prostitution, but prosecutors amended that charge to disorderly conduct. York was charged with possession of criminal tools for using his phone to respond to an undercover online prostitution ad, according to prosecutors. York was arrested Sunday morning at a mobile home community in East Palestine, Ohio, near where he was born and raised in Youngstown. He was released after posting $5,000 bail. He was sentenced to one day in jail for both crimes to be served concurrently and was given credit for one day served when he pleaded no contest Monday morning. He was also fined $1,150. Records also show that York was given his cell phone back and that the $160 seized would be turned over to the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force as part of the plea agreement. York also completed an online course. Columbiana County Prosecutor Vito Abruzzino said most of these prostitution cases usually end in plea deals. “Each case is analyzed 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 take into account the defendant’s criminal history and whether or not they have committed these types of crimes in the past and, more importantly, what the judges will allow.” The NFL issued a statement saying the league was aware of the arrest and would review it under the 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 to have 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 other clients when they secretly installed video cameras inside the spa’s massage rooms. The team said it would not comment on the situation. “As this is a legal matter that has been resolved, we will not be providing any further comment at this time,” the team said in a statement. York took day-to-day control of the 49ers from his parents in 2008. He became the team’s principal owner in 2024. After some early 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 reached the Super Bowl three times under York’s leadership, losing in the 2012 season under coach Jim Harbaugh and the seasons 2019 and 2023 with Shanahan and Lynch. York also oversaw the construction 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 title game.___See AP’s complete NFL coverage here
