A Southern California man has pleaded guilty to sending fraudulent ransom demands to the family of missing Nancy Guthrie, the mother of NBC “Today” show coanchor Savannah Guthrie. Derrick Callella, 42, of Hawthorne, California, admitted to two counts of harassment via a telecommunication device in a federal court in Tucson, Arizona, on July 2, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.

Callella’s actions took place shortly after Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance in early February. Prosecutors say he sent text messages on February 4 requesting a Bitcoin payment, despite knowing an earlier ransom demand had already been made. His communications were intended to harass the family and sought information about the ongoing investigation into the missing woman. He faces up to two years in prison and a fine of as much as $250,000. Callella was arrested on February 5 in Hawthorne, a city located near Los Angeles International Airport, and is scheduled for sentencing on September 10.

While Callella appears to be the first individual publicly charged for sending fake ransom notes in this case, law enforcement officials say other false ransom messages have surfaced. An unnamed FBI source reported that three kidnapping-related notes circulated in the media following Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance were deemed phony. These included two ransom demands made shortly after she went missing and one note from an individual claiming knowledge of her abductors' identities.

Nancy Guthrie, 84, was reported missing on the morning of February 1 after she failed to arrive at a friend’s home for a virtual church service. Investigators obtained video footage from her Google Nest doorbell showing an armed and masked person at her residence the night of her disappearance. However, authorities have not publicly identified a suspect in connection with a probable abduction. The investigation remains active, with forensic analysis of video and DNA evidence ongoing, according to Kevin Adger, spokesperson for the Pima County Sheriff’s Department.

Initial ransom notes received by the family demanded $4 million in Bitcoin, but a later email sent from the same internet address apologized for Guthrie’s accidental death and appeared to offer a monetary exchange for the return of her body. Authorities suspect that the individual captured on video may not have authored the ransom notes himself and might have had one or more accomplices.

Savannah Guthrie has publicly appealed for information, expressing the family’s anguish and urging anyone with relevant knowledge to come forward. The family has also offered a $1 million reward for information leading to the recovery of Nancy Guthrie’s remains. The search continues as investigators work to resolve the case.