Nancy Guthrie 'imposter' pleads guilty to harassing family with false ransom messages

TUSCON, ARIZONA: A California man accused of sending false ransom messages to the family of missing Arizona woman Nancy Guthrie pleaded guilty Thursday, July 2, to federal harassment charges, becoming the first person convicted in connection with the high-profile case.

Derrick Callella, 42, admitted to sending messages intended to harass Guthrie's family while investigators continued searching for the 84-year-old mother of NBC Today co-host Savannah Guthrie. Authorities stressed that Callella has not been linked to Guthrie's disappearance itself, which remains an active kidnapping-for-ransom investigation.

Callella admits to sending messages intended to harass the Guthrie family

Callella pleaded guilty in federal court in Tucson to two counts of harassment using a telecommunications device. Each count carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both, followed by one year of supervised release. According to prosecutors, his plea agreement calls for five years of probation, subject to approval by the court.

Federal prosecutors said Callella contacted Nancy Guthrie's daughter, Annie Guthrie, and son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni, on February 4 using a spoofed telephone number. He allegedly sent a message asking, "Did you get the bitcoin (we're) waiting on our end for the transaction," before placing a brief nine-second phone call to the family.

Authorities said Callella admitted he was aware that an earlier ransom demand had already been made in the case and acknowledged that his conduct was intended to interfere with the family's efforts to locate Guthrie.

According to the US Department of Justice, Callella admitted "his actions were meant to harass the family by seeking information about the investigation into the missing person's disappearance."

Investigators traced the spoofed phone number to a Google email account registered in Callella's name. Court records state that after being advised of his rights, he admitted sending the messages after following news coverage of the disappearance and locating the family's contact information online.

Federal prosecutors said Callella had been "acting as an imposter, trying to take advantage of the ongoing situation." Sentencing is scheduled for September 10 before US District Judge John C Hinderaker.

Investigation into Nancy Guthrie's disappearance continues

Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her Tucson home during the early hours of February 1. Family members discovered she was missing after she failed to appear for church the following day. Investigators later confirmed that blood found outside her home belonged to Guthrie.

The plea deal came a day after, FBI said that investigators have received multiple ransom communications throughout the investigation. "The FBI and its task force partners have received several ransom notes over the course of this investigation," the FBI Phoenix Field Office said in a statement posted on X.

"Some have been deemed to be extortion attempts without legitimacy. Other ransom demands may potentially be legitimate and are still being investigated as such. This case continues to be investigated as a kidnapping for ransom case."

More than five months after Nancy Guthrie's disappearance, authorities continue to investigate the case as a kidnapping-for-ransom, and her whereabouts remain unknown.