Man Who Sent Phony Bitcoin Ransom Demands in Nancy Guthrie Case Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges
Derrick Anthony Callella, a 42-year-old man from Hawthorne, California, pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court in Tucson, Arizona, to harassing the family of Nancy Guthrie with fabricated ransom demands. Callella, who federal prosecutors described as an imposter attempting to exploit an active abduction investigation, is expected to receive five years of federal probation at a formal sentencing hearing scheduled for a later date. Nancy Guthrie is the 84-year-old mother of NBC "Today" co-host Savannah Guthrie.
Key takeaways
- Derrick Anthony Callella, a 42-year-old man from Hawthorne, California, pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court in Tucson, Arizona, to harassing the family of Nancy Guthrie with fabricated ransom demands.
- Callella is expected to receive five years of federal probation at a sentencing hearing scheduled for a later date.
- Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC 'Today' co-host Savannah Guthrie, disappeared from her Tucson home in the Catalina Foothills in the early hours of February 1.
- Prosecutors described Callella as an opportunistic imposter who was not involved in the underlying disappearance, which is still treated as a kidnapping for ransom.
- Callella's plea does not close the case, as separate ransom demands sent to local media and TMZ remain under active investigation with no arrests made.
Derrick Anthony Callella, a 42-year-old man from Hawthorne, California, pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court in Tucson, Arizona, to harassing the family of Nancy Guthrie with fabricated ransom demands. Callella, who federal prosecutors described as an imposter attempting to exploit an active abduction investigation, is expected to receive five years of federal probation at a formal sentencing hearing scheduled for a later date. Nancy Guthrie is the 84-year-old mother of NBC "Today" co-host Savannah Guthrie.
How the Scheme Unfolded
Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her home in Tucson's Catalina Foothills neighborhood in the early hours of February 1. The following day, ransom demands were sent to local media outlets. The FBI, moving quickly, identified Callella's separate communications as a hoax and arrested him within days of Guthrie's suspected abduction.
On February 4, Callella contacted Nancy Guthrie's daughter Annie Guthrie and son-in-law Tommaso Cioni from a spoofed phone number, asking whether a bitcoin transaction had been received. He also placed a nine-second call to the family afterward. Investigators linked the spoofed number to a Google email account registered in Callella's name. After being read his Miranda rights, Callella allegedly confessed to sending two messages, telling investigators he had found the family's contact information online and had been following news coverage of the case.
He was initially freed on $20,000 bail and was prohibited from applying for a passport. Federal prosecutors characterized him as an opportunist rather than a party to the underlying disappearance.
Separate Ransom Demands Still Under Active Investigation
Callella's guilty plea does not close the broader case. Court documents establish that investigators have not linked him to a February 2 ransom demand sent to local media and TMZ. The FBI's Phoenix office confirmed this week that while some ransom notes received during the investigation have been deemed illegitimate extortion attempts, others may be genuine and are still being investigated as such. The case continues to be treated as a kidnapping for ransom.
Savannah Guthrie said in March that she believes at least two other ransom demands could be legitimate. The identity of whoever sent those communications remains unknown, and no arrests have been made in connection with them.
Jurisdictional Question Lingers
A persistent question of agency responsibility has shadowed the investigation. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has repeatedly stated that the FBI is leading ransom-related inquiries and directed all questions about ransom notes to federal authorities. The FBI, for its part, describes itself as assisting an investigation in which the Pima County Sheriff's Department remains the lead agency. On Thursday, the sheriff's department deferred comment on Callella's plea to the FBI, which did not immediately respond.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit an anonymous tip to 88-CRIME.
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Filed by the newsroom of MarketPR on July 4, 2026. Source: foxnews.com. Indicative figures are not investment advice.