WILLEMSTAD – Professional baseball player Jonathan Schoop is no longer in detention, but remains a suspect in a large-scale investigation into illegal weapons possession. A judge-commissioner in Curaçao lifted his pretrial detention on Tuesday.
Schoop was arrested at the end of January along with eight other individuals during coordinated police operations that involved searches at multiple locations. During those raids, authorities seized firearms, ammunition, shell casings and knives. Items were reportedly also found at the residence of the 34-year-old athlete. On 11 February, his pretrial detention had still been extended by sixty days.
According to Schoop’s lawyer, his detention has now been suspended. The Public Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that Schoop has been released but declined to provide further details, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation. Schoop remains formally listed as a suspect.
As a result of his detention, Schoop was not selected for the Dutch national baseball team that will compete next month in the World Baseball Classic. His older brother, Sharlon Schoop, has been included on the roster.
Jonathan Schoop played in Major League Baseball from 2013 to 2023, appearing for teams such as the Baltimore Orioles, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers. He was also a regular member of the Dutch national team and represented the Netherlands at the European Championship in Rotterdam last year.
The investigation into the weapons case is continuing.