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 messages were traced to Callella’s home, and he allegedly admitted sending them. He also allegedly called a member of Guthrie’s family shortly after sending the messages.Callella was arrested and charged Thursday with transmitting a demand for ransom in interstate commerce, and without disclosing his identity, utilizing 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 was scheduled to be arraigned Thursday in federal court in Tucson.Assistant U.S. Attorney Nandor Kiss argued Callella be held without bond because of a risk of flight, obstruction of justice and threats to potential witnesses. Kiss said the defendant had an outstanding warrant for failure to appear in court and when he was arrested he had an application to disguise his identity.Adithya Mani of the federal Public Defender’s Office said the defendant’s mother, who earns just $35,000 annually from social security and retirement, would put up the bond.The government’s arguments for obstruction of justice and threats are based on the federal allegations, which Mani characterized as an “isolated incident …. There is no history of threats.”The warrant was issued in 2006 and stems from a 2007 conviction in a misdemeanor case, so Callella may have thought the warrant was satisfied, Mani said.Callella is a lifelong resident of Southern California and has three children, so he has little motivation to flee, Mani argued.“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. “This case came together in under 24 hours because of the coordinated work of the FBI, local law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.”Callella is one of 13 Los Angeles County employees 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 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