TUCSON, AZ — After Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her Tucson area home, ransom notes came in telling the Guthrie family to pay up or never see her again. We know at least one note was fake. Now there has been a formal sentencing.
Federal Judge John Hinderaker told Derrick Callella he was profoundly stupid to think no one would see through his scheme during all the scrutiny of the Nancy Guthrie case
Callella conceded when he heard about Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance and the ransom demand that he went on the internet, found Guthrie family contacts and used them.
FULL COVERAGE: Investigation into Nancy Guthrie's disappearance
In a video message, daughter and NBC Today show host Savannah Guthrie said, “We need to know, without a doubt, that she’s alive and that you have her. We want to hear from you and we are ready to listen.”
Federal charges say shortly after that family message, Callella sent the family three ransom demands, two by text, one in a phone call.
The charges say Callella hid his real phone number but agents were able to track him down anyway.
The charges against Callella say the messages from him had no real connection to the bitcoin ransom note media outlets received the Monday after Nancy Guthrie disappeared.
Tucson NewsTIMELINE: What we know about the search for Nancy Guthrie
In July he pleaded guilty to two counts of telephonic harassment. He blames some of his actions on addiction to meth. When he changed his plea in July, a judge ordered him into immediate drug treatment.
When Callella pleaded guilty he knew the deal called for five years on probation for each of the two counts—with both probations served at the same time.
Judge Hinderaker noted five years probation is more than the federal sentencing standard for this sort of crime but believes the long probation will help Callella stay off drugs and be able to care for his family.
