Imposter Charged in Fake Ransom Demand for Nancy Guthrie

Legal expert says the suspect could face significant prison time for the interstate extortion attempt.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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Derrick Callella, a former Los Angeles County employee, has been charged with sending a fake ransom note to the family of missing 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie. Callella allegedly sent a text message to Guthrie's daughter and son-in-law claiming they needed to pay a bitcoin ransom, and then made a brief phone call to another family member. Legal expert Rachael Bennett explains that even though the ransom demand was a hoax, Callella could still face serious criminal charges and prison time for the interstate extortion attempt.

Why it matters

Exploiting a family's fear and distress during a crisis like a missing person case is not only cruel, but also a serious criminal offense that can carry significant penalties. This case highlights how perpetrators can use modern communication methods like text messages and phone calls to make interstate extortion threats, even if they don't have the ability to actually carry out the threat.

The details

Callella allegedly sent a text message to Savannah Guthrie's sister, Annie Guthrie, and her husband, Tommaso Cioni, that said "Did you get the bitcoin were [sic] waiting on our end for the transaction." He then made a 9-second phone call to an unidentified family member of Nancy Guthrie. Legal expert Rachael Bennett explains that even a fake ransom demand sent across state lines can qualify as extortion or interstate threatening communications, which can result in prison time for the perpetrator.

  • On February 5, Callella was charged with new federal charges related to the fake ransom note.
  • On February 12, legal expert Rachael Bennett discussed the potential criminal penalties Callella could face.

The players

Derrick Callella

A former Los Angeles County employee who was charged with sending a fake ransom note to the family of missing 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie.

Rachael Bennett

A certified family law specialist and senior attorney at Sullivan Law & Associates who provided legal analysis on the potential criminal charges Callella could face.

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What they’re saying

“It's illegal to transmit a ransom demand or extortion threat across state lines, which basically means by phone, email, text, social media, any of the above. If someone sends a message saying, 'Pay me or your loved one is going to be harmed,' even when they know that that's not true, that can still qualify as extortion or interstate threatening communications, and that can carry significant prison time.”

— Rachael Bennett, Certified family law specialist and senior attorney (Us Weekly)

“The [Guthrie] family would absolutely have a civil case here, separate from whatever the government decides to prosecute. There's also a strong argument for intentional infliction of emotional distress. Exploiting a family in a situation like this is the exact kind of extreme and outrageous conduct that courts look for in cases like that.”

— Rachael Bennett, Certified family law specialist and senior attorney (Us Weekly)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on whether to allow Callella out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights how perpetrators can abuse modern communication methods to make interstate extortion threats, even if the threats are ultimately empty. It also shows that families impacted by such cruel hoaxes have recourse through both criminal prosecution and civil lawsuits.