News World

49ers Owner Pleads No Contest to Prostitution Charges

San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York pleaded no contest to disorderly conduct and possession of criminal tools after being arrested in Ohio in a prostitution-related incident.

Eleni Papadaki-Van Der Merwe Staff Writer

AUGUST 25, 2026 AT 1:24 AM

Jed York, 46, who serves as both majority owner and chief executive of the NFL franchise, pleaded no contest Monday to disorderly conduct and possession of criminal tools. The plea deal resolved an initial charge of engaging in prostitution, which prosecutors amended to disorderly conduct as part of the agreement.

The criminal tools charge reportedly related to York’s mobile phone, which authorities allege was used to arrange the illicit encounter. According to court documents, York attempted to pay a woman $140 for sex at a trailer park before his arrest by law enforcement.

By entering a no contest plea, York accepted judicial punishment without formally admitting guilt to the alleged offenses. The court sentenced him to one day of incarceration on each count and imposed a $1,150 fine. York was also directed to complete an online educational course. He has since been released after posting $5,000 bond.

The arrest occurred Sunday in East Palestine, Ohio, located near Youngstown where York was raised. The East Palestine Police Department conducted the operation in coordination with the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force.

An NFL spokesman confirmed the league has been informed of the incident and stated it will be reviewed under the organization’s personal conduct policy, which governs off-field behavior by team owners, executives, and players.

York assumed the role of 49ers CEO in 2008 before becoming the franchise’s principal owner in 2024. Prior to his leadership, his parents maintained operational control of the storied NFL club. York is married to Danielle Belluomini, with whom he has two sons.

With information from Washington Examiner

Eleni Papadaki-Van Der Merwe

She was born in 1986 in Johannesburg, South Africa. She is the granddaughter of an immigrant from Crete who settled in the Greek community of Johannesburg (one of the largest in Africa). She holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Political Science from the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in Johannesburg and a master’s degree in Journalism from Rhodes University in Grahamstown. She began her career at English-language media outlets in Johannesburg, covering politics and economics, with a focus on issues related to migration and the diaspora. She moved to Athens in 2015 to “return to her roots,” initially to pursue graduate studies, and has remained there permanently. She is married to an Afrikaner; they have two children and live in the southern suburbs of Athens.