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ESPN Staff Writer- Nick Wagoner is an NFL reporter at ESPN. Nick has covered the San Francisco 49ers since 2016, having previously covered the St. Louis Rams for 12 years, including three years (2013 to 2015) at ESPN. In over a decade with the company, Nick has led ESPN's coverage of the Niners' 2019 and 2023 Super Bowl run, Colin Kaepernick's protest, the Rams making Michael Sam the first openly gay player drafted to the NFL, Sam's subsequent pursuit of a roster spot and the team's relocation and stadium saga.
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ESPN- Tom Schad is a Washington D.C.-based reporter on ESPN's investigative and enterprise team. Reach him at tom.schad@espn.com.
San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York pleaded no contest to a pair of misdemeanor charges Monday after being arrested in Ohio on suspicion of engaging in prostitution.
According to Columbiana County (Ohio) court records obtained by ESPN, York allegedly responded to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and "arranged to have sexual activity with the female in exchange for $140."
York was arrested upon arriving at the meeting location with the cellphone used to arrange the meeting, according to the records.
An arrest report filed by the East Palestine Police Department notes York was arrested Sunday at 9:35 a.m. at the Wheat Hill Mobile Home Community. East Palestine police assisted the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force in York's arrest, according to the report.
Authorities initially charged York with misdemeanor counts of engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools. The former charge was amended to misdemeanor disorderly conduct as part of a plea agreement resolving the case, according to court records.
York's attorney did not immediately reply to requests for comment. The 49ers said in a statement that "as this is a legal matter, which has been resolved, we will not be providing any further comment at this time."
The NFL said in a statement that the league is "aware of the matter which will be reviewed under the personal conduct policy."
Court records say the local prosecutor filed a plea arrangement Monday morning as York pleaded no contest and paid $1,150 in fines ($150 for the disorderly conduct charge and $1,000 for the criminal tools charge).
York also was sentenced to one day in jail for each charge, with one day already considered to be served.
Columbiana County prosecutor Vito Abruzzino told ESPN in an email that he also could not offer any additional details about York's case beyond confirming that the charges were reduced as part of a plea agreement.
"This was routine for someone facing those types of charges in our area and not having a history of this type of criminal conduct in his past," Abruzzino wrote in an email.
York filed for divorce from his wife, Danielle, in May, according to documents filed in Santa Clara County (California) Superior Court.
York has been the majority owner of the Niners since 2024 but has been the team's chief executive officer since 2008. He is originally from Youngstown, Ohio.
The Niners have made the Super Bowl three times under York's leadership, losing in the 2012 season under coach Jim Harbaugh and in the 2019 and 2023 seasons under Kyle Shanahan and general manager John 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.