Torrance man charged with sending fake ransom demand to Savannah Guthrie’s family is released on $20K bond

A Torrance man facing federal charges of sending a bogus ransom demand to relatives of Nancy Guthrie, the missing mother of “Today” show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, made his initial court appearance in Santa Ana Friday and was ordered released on $20,000 bond.

Nancy Guthrie, 84, disappeared from her Tucson, Arizona, home on Jan. 31, the victim of an apparent kidnapping.

Derrick Callella, 42, is accused in a federal complaint filed in Arizona with sending text messages on Wednesday to Guthrie’s daughter and son-in-law that read, “Did you get the bitcoin were (sic) waiting on our end for the transaction.” Guthrie’s family on Wednesday released a video asking their mother’s kidnapper to contact them, according to the complaint.

According to the criminal complaint, the text messages sent to Guthrie’s family were traced to Callella’s home, and he allegedly admitted sending the text messages. He also allegedly called a member of Guthrie’s family shortly after sending the text messages.

Callella was arrested and charged Thursday, Feb. 5 with transmitting a demand for ransom in interstate commerce, and without disclosing his identity, using a telecommunications device with the intent to abuse, threaten, or harass a person.

He made his initial court appearance Friday afternoon in Santa Ana. U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen E. Scott ordered Callella not to have any contact with the victims or witnesses in the case. He is scheduled to be arraigned Feb. 12 in federal court in Tucson.

“The Department of Justice will protect victims and families at all costs, and grief profiteers will be held accountable,” U.S. Attorney in Arizona Timothy Courchaine said in a statement.

Callella is one of 13 Los Angeles County employees who were charged last year with filing false unemployment claims, collectively defrauding the state out of more than $430,000. According to the District Attorney’s Office, Callella was a county Department of Health Services intermediate clerk who allegedly stole $9,984 in unemployment benefits between May 6, 2020, and Jan. 20, 2022. It was unclear if he is still employed by the county.

He was charged in that case with grand theft and presenting false claims. He is due back in Los Angeles Superior Court on March 5, when a date will be set for a hearing to determine if there is enough evidence for him to stand trial.

Torrance man accused of sending ‘impostor’ ransom demand to Savannah Guthrie’s family