San Francisco 49ers chief executive Jed York has been sentenced to one day in jail after pleading no contest to misdemeanor charges stemming from an undercover prostitution sting in Ohio. The 45-year-old executive, who also holds ownership stakes in English club Leeds United and Scottish Premiership side Rangers through 49ers Enterprises, resolved the legal matter during an arraignment hearing at Columbiana County Municipal Court.
Court records indicate that the case was brought forward by the East Palestine Police Department following an operation conducted by a regional human trafficking task force. Investigators reported that York responded to an online advertisement posted by undercover officers and agreed to pay $140 for sexual activity.
As part of a negotiated plea agreement, initial charges were reduced to disorderly conduct and possessing criminal tools, the latter referencing the mobile device used to communicate with covert officers.
During the court appearance, York entered a no contest plea to both misdemeanor counts, accepting a conviction without an explicit admission of guilt. The judge ordered a one-day sentence for each offense to run concurrently, giving credit for time previously served, alongside fines totaling $1,150. A motion requesting the expungement of court records was submitted on the same day but ultimately denied by the presiding judge.
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The legal proceedings have drawn attention due to York’s high-profile leadership roles across international sports franchises. In addition to leading the 49ers NFL franchise, York’s investment group, 49ers Enterprises, acquired full control of Leeds United in 2023 after initially investing in the English club in 2018.
The consortium further expanded its sports portfolio in May 2025 by securing a majority stake in Rangers alongside American businessman Andrew Cavenagh, though York does not participate in the daily operations of the Scottish club.
Spokespersons for both Leeds United and Rangers stated that their respective clubs would offer no official commentary regarding the court proceedings. A representative for the San Francisco 49ers acknowledged the resolution of the legal matter while declining to provide additional details. Meanwhile, the National Football League confirmed it is reviewing the situation under its league-wide personal conduct policy, which applies to all franchise owners and executives.
