A California man has admitted to sending fraudulent ransom messages to the family of missing Arizona woman Nancy Guthrie, whose disappearance has remained one of the country’s most closely watched investigations for months.
Federal prosecutors say Derrick Callella, 42, pleaded guilty to two felony counts after acknowledging that he deliberately contacted Guthrie’s family while falsely posing as someone connected to her disappearance. Authorities stressed that his messages were a hoax and were not linked to whoever is responsible for Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance.
Guilty Plea Entered in Federal Court
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, Callella pleaded guilty to two counts of harassment using a telecommunications device.
Investigators said that on Feb. 4, shortly after Nancy Guthrie disappeared, Callella sent text messages to members of the Guthrie family referencing a Bitcoin payment and implying he was involved in the case.
Authorities later determined he had no connection to Nancy’s disappearance and had sent the messages solely to harass the family while following media coverage of the investigation.
Investigators Traced Messages to California
Federal investigators linked the messages to a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone number.
According to court documents, investigators eventually traced the account back to Callella in Hawthorne, California.
When questioned, Callella admitted sending the messages and acknowledged that he had learned details about the case through news reports before contacting Nancy Guthrie’s relatives.
Faces Prison and Financial Penalties
Under federal law, Callella faces a maximum sentence of up to two years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 10.
Nancy Guthrie Investigation Continues
Authorities emphasized that Callella’s guilty plea does not resolve the underlying disappearance of Nancy Guthrie.
The 84-year-old vanished from her home near Tucson, Arizona, on Feb. 1. Investigators have said evidence collected at the residence suggests she was abducted, and the FBI continues to investigate the case as a kidnapping-for-ransom.
While several widely publicized ransom communications have now been determined to be fraudulent, officials have said other reported extortion-related communications remain under investigation.
Family Still Waiting for Answers
Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance has drawn national attention in part because she is the mother of Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie.
Since the investigation began, Savannah Guthrie and her siblings have made multiple emotional public appeals asking for information that could help bring their mother home.
The family has also announced a reward exceeding $1 million for information leading to Nancy’s recovery.
Hoax Messages Can Complicate Investigations
Law enforcement officials say false ransom messages not only cause additional emotional pain for families but also consume valuable investigative resources.
Although Callella has admitted responsibility for the fraudulent communications he sent, authorities continue pursuing every credible lead in the effort to determine what happened to Nancy Guthrie.
More than five months after she disappeared, investigators say the case remains active, and they continue urging anyone with relevant information to contact the FBI or local law enforcement.
