A 42-year-old California man has pleaded guilty to sending fake ransom notes in Nancy Guthrie’s abduction case.
According to the Department of Justice, Derrick Callella, of Hawthorne, pleaded guilty to two counts of Harassment Using a Telecommunication Device.
In his plea, Callella admitted that he called and sent text messages to Guthrie’s family on Feb. 4, 2026, which asked about a bitcoin transfer. Callella acknowledged that he knew an earlier ransom demand had been made. Callella also admitted that his actions were meant to harass the family by seeking information about the investigation into the missing person’s disappearance.
A conviction for Harassment Using a Telecommunication Device carries a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both, and one year of supervised release.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 10, 2026, before United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker.
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