49ers owner Jed York pleads no contest after Ohio prostitution sting

San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York used an alias to arrange a meeting with a woman he thought was a prostitute after responding to an online ad placed by police. He exchanged texts on Saturday and Sunday, asking for the woman’s address and the price, which was $160 for full-service sexual activity, according to a Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force report.

York traveled to East Palestine, Ohio, in a rental car, was directed to a mobile home park, and was stopped by marked police units. Officers seized $160 from him and verified the phone number used for the arrangement. He was booked, released on $5,000 bond and initially charged with engaging in prostitution, a charge later reduced to disorderly conduct.

He pleaded no contest on Monday to disorderly conduct and to possessing criminal tools for using his phone to respond to the ad. The court sentenced him to one day in jail, served concurrently, and fined him $1,150. The seized $160 was given to the human-trafficking task force, and York completed an online course as part of the plea.

The NFL said it is aware of the arrest and will review the case under its personal-conduct policy, which could lead to fines or suspension. The 49ers stated the legal matter was resolved and offered no further comment.

"Obviously, it’s a very tough situation," coach Kyle Shanahan said, adding that he does not expect the incident to affect York’s role with the team.

"We all have social media, so we see things," linebacker Fred Warner said, noting the team is focused on football and does not plan to discuss the matter further.