Man admits harassing Nancy Guthrie’s family with fake ransom demand

A California man has pleaded guilty to harassing Nancy Guthrie’s family by sending fake ransom demands.

Derrick Callella, 42, of Hawthorne, pleaded guilty to two counts of harassment by telecommunications device on Thursday, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

It marks the only criminal conviction stemming from the disappearance of Guthrie—the 84-year-old mother of Today co-host Savannah Guthrie—who vanished from her home near Tucson, Arizona, five months ago.

In entering his guilty plea, Callella admitted that he called and sent text messages to members of Guthrie’s family on February 4 inquiring about a bitcoin transfer.

“He acknowledged that he knew an earlier ransom demand had been made,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a statement.

“Callella also admitted that his actions were meant to harass the family by seeking information about the investigation into the missing person’s disappearance.”

Callella was arrested on February 5. A criminal complaint alleged that after receiving Miranda warnings, he admitted to sending text messages to Guthrie’s daughter and son-in-law on February 4 after following the case on television.

The criminal complaint said the text messages were received shortly after Guthrie’s family made a video appealing for her abductors to contact them. That came after local news stations reported on February 2 that they had received a purported ransom note demanding payment in bitcoin. The complaint also said he made a call to a family member that lasted nine seconds.

The charges carry a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. But Callella’s plea deal calls for him to serve five years of probation, according to ABC7. His sentencing was set for September 10.

This is a developing story. More to follow.