'Proud Boy' From Delco Pleads Guilty To Jan 6 Role: Authorities

UPPER DARBY, PA — A Delaware County man who was a member of the right wing group the Proud Boys pleaded guilty Thursday to a felony charge related to his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

According to federal authorities, Brian Healion, 33, of Upper Darby, pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to a felony offense of civil disorder. His sentencing is scheduled for June 13.

Healion was taken into custody at his Upper Darby home in December 2021.

Federal authorities describe the Proud Boys as a "pro-Western fraternal organization for men who refuse to apologize for creating the modern world; aka Western Chauvinists."

Authorities said Healion and others' actions disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

According to court documents, Healion, a Philadelphia Proud Boys chapter member, traveled to Washington, D.C., to protest Congress's certification of the Electoral College vote for the 2020 presidential election.

Healion was a member of the Ministry of Self Defense, or MOSD. MOSD is a hand-selected subgroup within the Proud Boys created by former Proud Boys Chairman Henry "Enrique" Tarrio as a "national rally planning" chapter.

In the days leading up to Jan. 6, 2021, Healion knew Congress was meeting at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 to certify the votes of the 2020 Presidential Election.

Healion posted a message in a chat with other members of the MOSD that said, "What time is the whole political/presidential situation happening that day? With pence and the electoral votes? And are we planning for either an unlikely joyous moment of pence [sic] growing balls?"

The morning of Jan. 6, 2021, Healion met with about 100 other members of the Proud Boys at the Washington Monument and then followed Proud Boys leadership – including Ethan Nordean and Philadelphia Proud Boys President Zachary Rehl – on a march toward the Capitol building.

Rehl, a veteran and son of two Philadelphia police officers, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for his role in the events of Jan. 6, 2021.

A few minutes later, as the group marched past U.S. Capitol Police officers at approximately 11:28 a.m., members of the group taunted them, yelling "Treason," and warning the officers, "Don't make us go against you."

Healion, as part of the group, kept marching around the perimeter of the Capitol grounds before arriving at the Peace Circle at the edge of the restricted perimeter of the Capitol grounds. By the time he arrived at the U.S. Capitol, Healion covered his face with a black gaiter. Proud Boys leadership then led the crowd, including Healion, in a chant and a surge toward the police line.

Healion and the crowd then crossed over and trampled bike rack barriers in their advance toward the Capitol building. Healion on the Capitol grounds helped rioters in crossing back and forth over the police line, and saw other rioters tussle with officers by attempting to pull bike rack barricades away from the police.

Healion then moved to the front of the crowd opposite the line of officers and reached out to try and grab a bike. Court documents say that he attempted to grab the bike rack to interfere with the officers' efforts to maintain a police line. Seconds later, Healion reached out toward the bike rack, grabbed it, and yanked it away from a Metropolitan Police Department Officer.

Healion then followed other Proud Boys to the Upper West Terrace of the building and eventually into the building at about 2:53 p.m. through the Senate Wing Door. Once inside, Healion and others entered the office of a U.S. Senator and posed for pictures. After spending roughly 20 minutes inside the building, Healion and other members of the Proud Boys exited via a broken window.

In the 37 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,313 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 469 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.