California man pleads guilty to fake Nancy Guthrie ransom note

Derrick Callella, a 42-year-old man from Hawthorne, California, has pleaded guilty to harassing the family of Nancy Guthrie, who disappeared earlier this year. Callella admitted to sending a fake ransom note and making contact with the family on February 4, 2026, inquiring about a bitcoin transfer.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona announced Callella's guilty plea to two counts of Harassment Using a Telecommunication Device. He acknowledged that his actions were intended to harass the family by seeking information related to the ongoing investigation into Guthrie's disappearance.

Callella faces a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both, along with one year of supervised release. The FBI Phoenix Division's Tucson office investigated the case, which was brought together rapidly due to coordinated efforts between the FBI, local law enforcement, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.

Sentencing for Callella is scheduled for September 10, 2026, before United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker. U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine emphasized the Department of Justice's commitment to protecting victims and holding "grief profiteers" accountable. The FBI has previously stated that while some ransom notes have been dismissed as extortion attempts, others are still being evaluated as potentially legitimate in the ongoing kidnapping investigation.