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Nancy Guthrie update: Who is Derrick Callella? Californian pleads guilty for fake ransom note
Derrick Callella admitted to sending a false ransom demand in the disappearance case of Savannah Guthrie's mother, Nancy Guthrie.
A California man, Derrick Callella, has pleaded guilty to sending a fake ransom demand connected to the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of TODAY co-anchor Savannah Guthrie.
Callella entered a guilty plea on Thursday in federal court to two felony charges. They include sending a ransom demand across state lines and using a telecommunications device to threaten or harass, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
According to the DOJ, Callella also acknowledged that his actions were intended to harass the family by requesting details regarding Nancy's missing investigation.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 10 and must serve five years of probation under the plea agreement.
Who is Derrick Callella?
Derrick Callella is a 42-year-old resident of Torrance, California. Federal investigators say he sent a fraudulent Bitcoin ransom demand to Nancy Guthrie's family while authorities searched for the missing 84-year-old.
According to investigators, Callella allegedly used an application that generated a fake phone number to send text messages demanding cryptocurrency. Authorities traced the account to an email address linked to him. This led to his arrest and subsequent guilty plea.
Investigators said the messages were sent shortly after Nancy Guthrie's family released an emotional video pleading with her alleged kidnappers to make contact. Family members each received a text from a phone number with a California area code that read, "Did you get the bitcoin [we're] waiting on our end for the transaction."
According to investigators, the number was traced to a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) application. Authorities later linked the account to Callella.
When questioned by investigators, Callella allegedly admitted to sending the texts. He told authorities he had obtained the family's contact information from a website and had been closely following media coverage of the high-profile disappearance.
During Thursday's court hearing, prosecutors told the judge that Callella had recently tested positive for drugs.
During the proceedings, he also acknowledged that he had used drugs four days earlier. However, when questioned by the judge, Callella said he was not under the influence of any substances at the time of the hearing, according to KVOA.
FBI says Nancy Guthrie investigation remains active
The FBI said Wednesday that law enforcement has received several ransom notes since Nancy Guthrie disappeared.
"This case continues to be investigated as a kidnapping for ransom case," the FBI Phoenix office said in an update. The agency added that every communication received is carefully assessed as investigators continue pursuing leads.
While investigators have determined that some messages were merely “extortion attempts”, others are still being treated as potentially “legitimate” as the kidnapping investigation remains ongoing, according to a Wednesday update from the agency.
The Pima County Sheriff's Department echoed that message. It said every tip and potential ransom communication is forwarded directly to detectives working jointly with the FBI.
Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her home near Tucson, Arizona, on February 1. Authorities said she was last seen around 9:45 p.m. the previous evening. The FBI later released doorbell camera images showing an armed, masked individual outside her home on the morning of her disappearance.
