Former member of Philadelphia Proud Boys gets 100 days in prison for his role in Jan. 6 Capitol attack

Brian Healion of Delaware County is the second member of the extremist organization’s Philadelphia chapter to be sentenced for taking part in the attack on the U.S. Capitol, which was the violent culmination of former President Donald Trump’s failed attempt to have the results of the 2020 presidential election overturned.

A former member of the Philadelphia chapter of the Proud Boys was sentenced to 100 days in prison Tuesday for participating in the attack on the United States Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 along with other members of the extremist organization.

Brian Healion, 33, of Upper Darby, Delaware County, also received 36 months of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution after previously pleading guilty to a felony charge of civil disorder in February.

Healion was a member of the Ministry of Self Defense (MOSD), a hand-selected sub-group within the Proud Boys created by former Proud Boys Chairman Henry “Enrique” Tarrio as a “national rally planning” chapter.

According to court documents, ahead of traveling to Washington on Jan. 6, 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?”

Healion met with approximately 100 other members of the Proud Boys at the Washington Monument on Jan. 6 and proceeded to follow Proud Boys leadership — including Philadelphia Proud Boys leader Zachary Rehl — on a march toward the Capitol. As the group marched past Capitol police officers, members of the group taunted them, yelling “treason,” and warning the officers, “Don’t make us go against you.”

By the time he arrived at the U.S. Capitol, Healion had concealed his face using a black gaiter. Proud Boys leadership then led the crowd, including Healion, in a chant and a surge toward the police line.

Once they arrived at the Capitol, the crowd, including Healion, crossed over and trampled bike rack barriers in their advance toward the Capitol building. Healion assisted other rioters with crossing back and forth over the police line and witnessed other rioters engage 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. Less than one minute later, Healion succeeded when he again reached out toward the bike rack, grabbed it, and yanked it away from a Metropolitan Police Department Officer.

Healion then followed other Proud Boys members to the Upper West Terrace of the building and eventually into the building at approximately 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 approximately 20 minutes inside the building, Healion and other members of the Proud Boys exited via a broken window.

The FBI arrested Healion on Dec. 10, 2021, in Upper Darby.

Healion is the second member of the Philadelphia Proud Boys chapter to be sentenced for participating in the Capitol attack. Rehl is serving a 15-year sentence, while two others — Isaiah Giddings, 31, and Freedom Vy, 39 — have both pleaded guilty to misdemeanor counts and are awaiting sentencing.

Healion’s sentencing brings the number of Pennsylvanians sentenced for participating in the Jan. 6 attack to 55. Three died (two by suicide) while awaiting sentencing.

To date, 98 Pennsylvanians have been arrested in connection to the Capitol attack.