MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Miami Gardens Pastor Eric Readon appeared in a Miami-Dade courtroom Wednesday, where he rejected a plea deal offered by the State Attorney’s Office in a high-profile elder exploitation and fraud case that stems from a Local 10 News investigation.
The state’s offer called for 366 days in state prison and 10 years of probation.
But Readon declined the deal, telling Judge Christine Hernandez that he understood the risks of going to trial. If convicted by a jury, he could face up to 65 years in prison.
Readon, the pastor of New Beginning Missionary Baptist Church, is charged with organized fraud, organized scheme to defraud, exploitation of the elderly, theft, and grand theft.
Prosecutors say more charges may be forthcoming, including auto theft, which was alluded to in open court by an assistant state attorney on Wednesday.
The Miami-Dade case centers on allegations that Readon defrauded Edward Fuller, a retired 76-year-old postal worker, out of his home and more than $267,000.
The accusations first came to light in a 2017 Local 10 News investigation.
Fuller claims Readon convinced him to transfer part ownership of his home under the pretense of helping secure a loan for construction. Instead, he allegedly sold the property without Fuller’s knowledge and kept the proceeds.
Wednesday’s court appearance follows Readon’s recent plea agreement in Broward County, where he faced separate but similar fraud allegations involving property theft in Davie and Lauderdale Lakes.
In that case, Readon pleaded no contest, a legal maneuver where a defendant accepts punishment without admitting guilt.
The Broward plea deal requires him to pay $150,000 in restitution to Jannette Spence and $46,500 to Nixon Belotte, two alleged victims of property fraud. He was also sentenced to community control, five years of probation, and must repay all restitution before becoming eligible for early termination.
Spence had accused Readon and an associate, Joseph Riley, of fraudulently attempting to steal her $1.75 million property by falsifying deed records.
Belotte claimed he was tricked into signing over his home with promises of payment that never came. Both regained ownership through civil court battles.
Readon was originally arrested in 2022 and has maintained his innocence in both criminal cases.
A status hearing in Readon’s Miami-Dade case is scheduled for June 23, with trial set for July 7.
The case is now being prosecuted by Anthony Gil, the newly appointed Chief of Economic Crimes for the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office.
