MLB Umpire Brian O'Nora Pleads Not Guilty to Solicitation Charges in Sex Sting

Major league umpire Brian O'Nora pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges of soliciting and possessing criminal tools at his arraignment Tuesday, according to Tom Schad of USA Today. 

O'Nora was one of 14 men arrested in a human trafficking sting Sunday in Youngstown, Ohio, which was targeting people who allegedly were seeking to purchase sex online, per Analis Bailey of USA Today.

According to the police report, he responded to an online advertisement and agreed to meet with someone he believed to be a female prostitute at a motel. He was met by authorities and arrested on two soliciting charges.

O'Nora was released on a $5,000 bond and is scheduled to make his next court appearance on March 3.

The 57-year-old has been a major league umpire since 1992 and has worked three All-Star Games, most recently in 2019. He also worked the 2012 World Series.

He was among several veteran umpires who opted out of the 2020 season as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.