Man Sentenced After Pleading Guilty To Charges Related To Nancy Guthrie Kidnapping Case

A California man has been sentenced for penning a fake ransom note in the Nancy Guthrie kidnapping case, for which he pled guilty.

Derrick Callella, the 42-year-old from Hawthorne, California, received two-five year probation terms, which he will serve concurrently. He was also ordered to pay $200 for a special assessment, per TheWrap.

This update comes over a month after Callella pleaded guilty to two counts of harassment using a telecommunication device. At the time, it was reported that Judge John C. Hinderaker was planning to hand down a sentence of 10 years probation, with Callella slated to attend a residential addiction treatment facility before his sentencing date.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona said that Callella admitted to sending text messages to Guthrie’s family members.

“Callella acknowledged that he knew an earlier ransom demand had been made,” the statement said. “Callella also admitted that his actions were meant to harass the family by seeking information about the investigation into the missing person’s disappearance.”

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Seeing Savannah Guthrie tonight, I just wanted to give her a hug

Her mother, Nancy Guthrie, has been missing since she was abducted from her Arizona home earlier this year, and her family is still searching for answers.

Seeing Savannah in person tonight at the @usopen Blue… pic.twitter.com/0oFM7VpeJw

— New York Mickey (@MickmickNYC) August 26, 2026

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Nancy Guthrie case: Either someone made a big mistake or someone couldn’t keep their story straight. If this was
true, how would it change the narrative? pic.twitter.com/HrS4WQXSOT

— Amy Smith (@dewdropmoon9) August 31, 2026

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It's been 7 months since 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie was taken from her Tucson, Arizona home, and the person on her front steps is still a silhouette.

Nancy Guthrie left dinner with family on January 31 and went inside, and by morning she was gone.

Her phone, wallet, hearing…

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) September 2, 2026

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He was arrested in February on charges of transmitting a demand for ransom in interstate commerce and utilizing a telecommunications device with intent to abuse, threaten, or harass a person.

Callella texted two of Guthrie’s family members — her oldest daughter Annie and Annie’s husband Tommaso Cioni — on Feb. 4. He also allegedly made a nine-second call to a family member.

According to court records, he used a VOIP (internet) phone line to send the following message: “Did you get the bitcoin were (sic) waiting on our end for the transaction.”

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