This morning, a Judge of the Court of Justice handed down a sentence in the criminal case brought by the Public Prosecutor’s Office against Zuriel Celaire (23), who was accused of being an accomplice to severe assault, possession of firearms, and threatening two individuals.
The Court found Zuriel guilty and sentenced him to a combined prison term, electronic ankle monitoring, mandatory night house arrest, and compliance with the directives of the Probation Service (Reclasering).
The Judge concluded that the victims, D.L. and A., gave statements indicating they had arranged to meet Zuriel at EPB San Nicolas for a drug deal. In Zuriel’s car was another individual who assaulted D.L. with a firearm. D.L. managed to escape and yelled to A. for help. The armed man in the car pointed the weapon at A., who then fled. The Judge highlighted that in September 2025, the L. brothers had shot at Zuriel and are currently incarcerated at the KIA correctional facility.
The Judge disbelieves Zuriel The Judge stated there was no reason to doubt the statements of the L. brothers, which were supported by other witness testimonies. The Judge rejected Zuriel’s claim that D.L. and A. had set him up, noting that D.L. was also convicted based on A.’s testimony. Furthermore, the Judge determined that Zuriel had threatened L.’s sister as well as another individual.
Guilty of assault The Judge did not find Zuriel guilty of attempted severe assault, as severe assault was not proven. However, the Judge found him guilty of assault with a weapon, holding Zuriel responsible for the assault perpetrated against D.L. by the passenger in his vehicle.
Guilty of weapon possession The Judge noted that numerous photos of heavy firearms were found on Zuriel’s mobile phone. Although Zuriel claimed the photos of him holding weapons were generated using Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Judge noted that under the law, objects that resemble weapons and can be used to intimidate are classified as weapons. While this distinction affects the severity of the sentence, the Judge found Zuriel guilty of firearm possession.
Regarding the sentence, the Prosecutor had demanded 4 years in prison along with conditional TBS (court-ordered psychiatric treatment), conditions set by Probation, psychological treatment, and an electronic monitor. Zuriel’s defense counsel argued that the conditions—specifically the night curfew and the ankle monitor—were overly punitive.
The Judge stressed that illegal firearm possession is a serious concern in Aruba and that the charges against Zuriel contribute to feelings of insecurity within the community.
Reoffending after returning from the Netherlands The Judge considered Zuriel’s criminal record, pointing out that only a few months after being released from TBS in the Netherlands, he caused trouble again in Aruba. However, based on the evaluation reports, the Judge found insufficient grounds to order a conditional TBS measure at this time and rejected that part of the prosecution’s demand.
Strict conditions Given Zuriel’s history, the Judge deemed the Probation Service’s recommendations appropriate, including the electronic ankle monitor, mandatory night house arrest, adherence to Probation guidelines, and psychological treatment.
Restitution for damages Regarding the 7,000 florins compensation claim submitted by Ms. L. due to emotional distress, the Judge awarded 1,000 florins, backed by an enforcement order.
Sentence The Judge sentenced Zuriel to 4 years in prison, with 2 years suspended under a 3-year probation period. During these 3 years, Zuriel must comply with all probation conditions, including remaining at home between 6:00 PM and 6:00 AM, wearing an electronic ankle monitor continuously for a probation period of 9 months, and receiving psychological treatment.