A California man pleaded guilty to sending a fake Ransom note to Nancy Guthrie’s family.
Derrick Callella, 42, pleaded guilty to two federal felony counts of transmitting communications containing a demand for Ransom, reported KOLD-TV. He will be sentenced
Sept. 10.
According to the FBI, said Callella texted two of Guthrie’s family members Feb. 4. He also allegedly made a call to a family member.
“Did you get the bitcoin were [sic] waiting on our end for the transaction,” one text read, according to court documents.
Minutes later, investigators said cellphone data showed Callella made a call to a Guthrie family member.
According to court documents, Callella admitted was following the case on television and found the family’s contact information online.
He said he sent the messages “to see if the family would respond.”
“The Department of Justice will protect victims and families at all costs, and grief profiteers will be held accountable,” U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine said after Callella was arrested.
Guthrie, 84, has been missing from her Arizona home since February. Investigators believe was an Abduction.
In the nearly six months since, investgators have not publicly identified any suspects or persons of interest.
No arrests have been made in her disappearance.
Callella’s messages are separate from other Ransom notes.
Retired FBI agent Jason Pack said investigators cannot dismiss any Ransom communication until they determine who sent it and what happened to Guthrie.
“You don’t know what happened to Miss Nancy. Law enforcement is still looking for Miss Nancy,” Pack told “Elizabeth Vargas Reports.” “Until they have answers to that question, I don’t see how you can definitively say a note is or is not legitimate until you know exactly what happened. You don’t know who sent it yet.”
An FBI agent told Reuters the three Nancy Guthrie kidnapping notes recently highlighted in the media are fake.
The agent said the three debunked messages included two Ransom notes sent to media outlets in early February. A third note was sent out last week.