Miami Pastor Eric Readon Taken into Custody After Plea Withdrawal Denied

Pastor's Surrender and Plea Withdrawal

• 📌 Pastor Eric Readon was taken into custody to begin a 364-day sentence in Miami Dade County Jail.
• ⚖️ Judge Christine Hernandez declined to delay his surrender or immediately rule on his motion to withdraw his guilty plea.
• 🤝 Readon had previously pleaded guilty and accepted a deal involving jail time, 15 years of probation, and $180,000 in restitution.

Fraud Charges and Investigation

• 🏠 The charges stem from a 2017 investigation where Readon allegedly tricked a retired postal worker, Edward Fuller, into signing over part of a home he was building, then sold it and kept the money.
• 📰 Readon's new attorney filed a motion to withdraw the guilty plea, citing intense media coverage by Local 10 News and alleged pressure from prosecutors.

Legal Proceedings and Future Hearings

• 🗓️ Judge Hernandez stated she will hold a separate hearing on the motion to withdraw the plea, with a date set for July 30th.
• ⚠️ The state argued that Readon's requests to delay surrender and attend a funeral suggest a pattern of trying to "play games with the court."
• 🕊️ Readon also requested to be released on Saturday to attend a funeral, a decision the judge is considering after asking for more specifics.