AUSA Brasher Denies Federal Ties of Marcus DiPaola and 1% Watchdog (Pre-Plea)

Before Ryan's guilty plea, the defense filed a disclosure request asking whether Marcus DiPaola — the man inside Ryan's rescue organization who filmed the 2018 Ellen-DeGeneres-show rescue video — and 1% Watchdog — the entity that assigned Ryan rescue missions — were government assets. AUSA Douglas Brasher denied on the record that the government had any idea who 1% Watchdog was and stated that Marcus DiPaola was not a federal agent, not affiliated with the FBI, not affiliated with the feds. The denial was the predicate Brady violation. At this same point, Brasher told Ryan to take the plea deal — or, if Ryan went to trial, Brasher guaranteed he would be found guilty and that the government would seek the terrorism enhancement, just like they did to Matthew Perna. Brasher said Ryan would get it and end up with 20–30+ years in federal prison. Ryan was coerced and forced into the deal he took. The denial that hid Marcus DiPaola and 1% Watchdog's federal ties is what made that coercion possible — Ryan was pleading without knowing the men inside his own organization were assets of the government threatening to bury him. Exact filing date pending verification from the docket.