Major League Baseball umpire Brian O’Nora was arrested in a prostitution sting over the weekend.
O’Nora was one of 14 alleged “Johns” who were arrested in Ohio after they solicited prostitutes online, according to a police report obtained by TMZ. He was arrested on Saturday night by the Liberty Township Police Department, which was working with a task force specializing in human trafficking.
“John stings deter those seeking to purchase sex — reducing the demand for human trafficking — and serve as a reminder that these crimes are more prevalent and closer to home than you may think,” Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said on Monday.
O’Nora and the other 13 individuals involved were charged with misdemeanor soliciting and misdemeanor possessing criminal tools.
MLB has not yet commented on the arrest. O’Nora has been an umpire in the league since 2000. He worked a World Series in 2012 and has been assigned to three All-Star Games, one of which was in 2019.
The sting operation sounds similar to what we saw happen with New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft last year, though he ultimately won his case.
