Man pleads guilty to harassing Guthrie family with fake ransom notes

A California man has pleaded guilty to sending fake ransom demands to the family of Nancy Guthrie, the missing 84-year-old mother of TODAY host Savannah Guthrie.

Man Admits Sending Fake Bitcoin Ransom Demands to Family of Missing TODAY Host’s Mother

Derrick Callella, 42, of Hawthorne, California, admitted to two counts of harassment using a telecommunication device, including calls and texts demanding a bitcoin transfer sent to Guthrie’s family on February 4. He faces up to two years in prison and a $250,000 fine at sentencing on September 10, People reports.

Nancy Guthrie was abducted from her Tucson, Arizona home on February 1 and remains missing, with no official suspects identified. The FBI confirmed several ransom notes have been received throughout the investigation, with some still being assessed for legitimacy. Her case continues to be investigated as a kidnapping for ransom.