WILLEMSTAD – Well-known Curaçao baseball player Jonathan Schoop was sentenced Friday to 30 months in prison, six months of which are suspended, after being convicted of possessing a heavy firearm and ammunition.
The sentence means Schoop received a lower punishment than requested by the prosecution. Prosecutors had demanded four years in prison, with eight months suspended.
Schoop was arrested on January 29 this year together with eight other people as part of an investigation into illegal firearm possession. During searches conducted in connection with the investigation, including at Schoop's residence, authorities seized firearms, ammunition, cartridge casings and knives.
The former Major League Baseball player spent nearly four weeks in detention before being released while the criminal proceedings continued.
His detention earlier this year also had consequences for his baseball career. Schoop was not selected for the Kingdom of the Netherlands team that competed in the World Baseball Classic in March.
Schoop is one of Curaçao's best-known professional baseball players. He played in Major League Baseball in the United States from 2013 through 2023.
During his MLB career, the infielder played for the Baltimore Orioles, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers.
Friday's ruling concludes the criminal proceedings against Schoop at the Court of First Instance level.