Police documents paint a picture that San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York was desperate to meet with a prostitute ahead of his arrest on Sunday.
In a Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force report obtained by the California Post, York is stated to have used an alias while sending repeated messages over the course of the weekend as he attempted to arrange a sexual encounter at trailer park in Ohio.
ESPN reported on Monday that court documents showed York — the majority owner and CEO of the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers — allegedly responded to an ad on a known prostitution website and “arranged to have sexual activity with the female in exchange for $140,” though Tuesday’s report stated the actual number was $160.
What did York say in his messages?
“York messaged the female and advised that his name was Joe and that he would like to visit the female,” police detectives stated in the document, adding that he sent a second message later in the day after not receiving a response.
He “advised that he was just checking in, and was seeing if the female was available,” the report stated.
After both messages on Saturday went unanswered, York pinged the site again on Sunday morning, asking “if the female was free, and that he would love to come see her,” the report stated.
York said that he was in Boardman, Ohio, and then asked for an address to meet before querying how much the woman charged for an hour.
York “was advised that full service sexual activity was $160.00, with unprotected sex being $20 more,” officials wrote in the report.
“York advised that the $160.00 worked for him, and he was on his way” to the trailer park.
He was then arrested on upon arriving at the location — Wheat Hill MHP in East Palestine, Ohio — at 9:35 a.m. in a rental car while in possession of the cellphone used to arrange the meeting and the agreed-to amount in cash.
Police confirmed that York’s phone had been used to send the messages.
“A test text message to York’s iPhone revealed that it was the one used to arrange the criminal activity. York was driving an AVIS rental car at the time of the arrest,” the report said.
York pleaded no contest after the charges were amended from one count of engaging in prostitution to a disorderly conduct charge. He also was convicted of “possessing criminal tools.”
He was sentenced to serve one day in jail, but he was given credit for time served, and also was ordered to pay $1,150 US in fines.
Who is Jed York?
York was born in Youngstown, Ohio, which is 35 km from the location of his arrest.
The 46-year-old has been the team’s chief executive officer since 2008 and later became the Niners’ majority owner in 2024.
He has been married to Danielle Belluomini for 15 years, but reportedly filed for divorce this past May. The pair shares two sons, Jaxon and Brixton, who are minors.
What have the 49ers and the NFL said?
The Niners said in a statement on Monday that the team would “not be providing any further comment at this time” because York’s arrest was a legal matter that had been resolved.
According to TMZ, the NFL is aware of the incident and will be looking into the matter.
“We are aware of the matter which will be reviewed under the personal conduct policy,” a league spokesperson told the outlet.
The San Francisco 49ers are preparing to fly to Australia next week for their season opener against the Los Angeles Rams. The team has been dealing with several injuries during training camp, with many commentators attributing to the ailments to an electrical substation located near the team’s practice facility.