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

San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York was taken into custody on Sunday in East Palestine, Ohio, after police say he responded to an online advertisement that was part of a human-trafficking task-force sting. Court records show York negotiated a $160 payment with an undercover officer, traveled to a mobile-home park, and was stopped by police before reaching the supposed meeting site. He was charged with disorderly conduct and possession of criminal tools, pleaded no contest, was fined $1,150, and sentenced to serve one day in jail for each count, to be served concurrently. The seized $160 was also forfeited.

The Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force, which operates in Columbiana County, has used similar online bait to apprehend individuals seeking commercial sex. According to a 2024 Ohio Attorney General newsletter, the task force’s operations have resulted in a disproportionate number of arrests in the county compared with larger jurisdictions, reflecting the focus of law-enforcement resources rather than actual prevalence of sex-buyer activity.

York’s attorneys filed a motion to seal the arrest record, but a judge denied the request on Monday.