MIAMI – Miami Gardens pastor Eric Readon was taken into custody Friday morning after a judge declined to delay his surrender or rule immediately on his last-minute motion to withdraw his guilty plea.
Readon, who had agreed to serve 364 days in the Miami-Dade County Jail, followed by 15 years of probation and $180,000 in restitution to a 78-year-old victim, is now behind bars.
The pastor pleaded guilty last month to one count of exploitation of the elderly as part of a plea deal stemming from a Local 10 News investigation that began in 2017. That investigation revealed how Edward Fuller, a retired postal worker, was defrauded out of his home and more than $267,000. Fuller told Local 10 that Readon convinced him to sign over partial ownership of a property under false pretenses, then sold the home without his knowledge and kept the money.
At the time of the plea, Readon, 49, told the judge, “I just want closure.”
But earlier this week, on July 11, his new attorney, Beresford Landers, filed a motion to withdraw that plea, citing undue pressure, media coverage, and alleged prosecutorial leverage involving a separate grand theft auto charge.
Despite that, Judge Christine Hernandez made it clear in court Friday that the plea agreement would be enforced, at least for now.
“I’m not making a decision right now on the motion to vacate and I’m not extending your surrender date,” the judge said. “He will be taken into custody pursuant to the plea that was taken.”
During the hearing, Readon also asked to be released temporarily to attend the funeral of a long-time parishioner this Saturday. But Hernandez pushed back on that, too, saying she needed more information before considering such a request.
“I understand you are a pastor. This can’t be an occurrence every week —there is a potential for that,” she said.
Assistant State Attorney Anthony Gil opposed the request, arguing that the pattern of last-minute motions and personal excuses appeared to be an effort to delay accountability.
“It really looks like the defendant is trying to extend the time he is out,” Gil said. “This fits into that pattern. We cannot in good faith agree to this.”
A hearing has been set for July 30 to decide whether Readon will be allowed to withdraw his guilty plea. If the motion is granted, his conviction would be vacated and the case could proceed to trial, where he faces up to 65 years in prison.
For now, Readon remains in custody at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in Miami-Dade County.
