A California man has pleaded guilty to sending phony ransom requests to the family of Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" host Savannah Guthrie.

Last month, Guthrie’s daughter and NBC anchor Savannah Guthrie delivered an emotional plea to viewers seeking information about her disappearance.

All three messages in question were initially delivered to various media outlets, including the celebrity news site TMZ.com, before being turned over to authorities for review.