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EAST PALESTINE -- San Francisco 49ers owner John "Jed" York was arrested in the Valley over the weekend on two misdemeanor charges.
York, 45, whose address was listed as Southwoods Avenue, Youngstown, was fined $1,150, was sentenced to one day in jail and received credit for one day already served in jail after pleading no contest Monday and being found guilty of disorderly conduct amended from engaging in prostitution and of possessing criminal tools. Both charges were misdemeanors.
According to the judgment entry, his cell phone was to be returned to him and $160 seized shall be forfeited to the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force. He already completed an online course related to prostitution prevention.
York was taken into custody on Sunday after he responded to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website which was posted by an MVHTTF agent, then arranged to have sexual activity with who he thought was going to be a woman for $140. He then traveled to Unity Township near East Palestine for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements and was met by police.
The police report obtained by news partner WKBN-TV lists the time and location of the arrest as 9:35 a.m. at Wheat Hill Mobile Home Community off state Route 170.
His defense attorney, Frank Cassese, filed a motion Monday to seal the records, but county Municipal Court Judge Danielle Menning denied the motion.
The motion claimed York was an eligible offender with no criminal proceedings pending.
"The defendant has been satisfactorily rehabilitated and poses no risk for recidivism. The defendant's interest in having the official records pertaining to the cases sealed outweighs any legitimate need of the government to maintain those records," the motion said.
After his arrest, he was released from jail on a $5,000 recognizance bond.
York is a Cardinal Mooney grad.
Columbiana County Prosecutor Vito Abruzzino said most of these prostitution cases typically end in plea agreements.
"Each case is looked at 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 factor in criminal history of the defendant, and whether or not they have committed these types of offenses in the past, and 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 for 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 the other customers when they secretly installed video cameras inside massage rooms at the spa.
The team said it would not have any comment on the situation.
"As this is a legal matter, which has been resolved, we will not be providing any further comment at this time," the team said in a statement.
York took over day-to-day control of the 49ers from his parents in 2008. He became the team's principal owner in 2024. After some initial 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 made the Super Bowl three times under York's leadership, losing in the 2012 season under coach Jim Harbaugh and the 2019 and '23 seasons under Shanahan and Lynch.
York also oversaw the building 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.