San Francisco 49ers principal owner and CEO John “Jed” York was arrested over the weekend in East Palestine, Ohio, and has pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor charges, according to court records.
York, 46, was arrested Sunday by the East Palestine Police Department while authorities were conducting an operation with the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force. He was initially charged with engaging in prostitution, but prosecutors later amended that charge to disorderly conduct. He was also charged with possessing criminal tools.
York pleaded no contest to both charges Monday. A no-contest plea does not constitute an admission of guilt, but the defendant accepts the punishment associated with the charges.
According to court records, York was sentenced to jail time credited as already served and was ordered to pay $1,150 in fines—$150 for disorderly conduct and $1,000 for possessing criminal tools. He had previously posted a $5,000 bond following his arrest.
The arrest occurred in East Palestine, roughly 20 miles south of Youngstown. York was born and raised in Youngstown and maintains ties to the area.
York has served as the 49ers’ CEO since 2008 and became the franchise’s principal owner in 2024. Under his leadership, San Francisco has remained one of the NFL’s most prominent franchises, including three Super Bowl appearances.
The 49ers had not issued a public statement regarding York’s arrest as of Monday afternoon. The NFL could also review the matter under its personal conduct policy.
The development comes just weeks before the start of the 2026 NFL regular season, adding an unexpected off-field issue to the 49ers’ organization heading into the new campaign.
