Texas Former Ugly Man Cossacks Sergeant At Arms Gets Probation For Street Gang Charge

Eustace man pleads to probation for role in club that killed rival biker

By Alex Weister KLTV Feb. 6, 2025
https://www.kltv.com/2025/02/06/eustace-man-accused-leading-biker-club-commit-murder-pleads-probation/

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) – A Eustace man will serve probation after pleading guilty to directing a biker club that killed a rival motorcyclist in 2020.

Chad Michael Crowell was arrested in April of 2024 in connection with the murder of Brandon Edwards, of Arp. Crowell was accused of leading a motorcycle club called the Ugly Man Cossacks, and Edwards was a member of a rival club. Thursday, Crowell pleaded guilty to giving orders that resulted in fatal violence and accepted a sentence of six years’ probation.

The bikers who carried out the murder have been convicted and sentenced.
• Joshua Ray Tibbits, of Waco, was sentenced to 45 years’ confinement.
• Jeffery Ryan Griffin, of Robinson, was sentenced to 22 years’ confinement.
• Jose Antonio Valenzuela, of Longview, was sentenced to 22 years’ confinement.
• Additionally, the national president of the motorcycle club, Kevin Dale Higgins, of Kemp, was sentenced to life in prison. Higgins went to trial in December of 2024, which ended in a hung jury. His second trial ended in January and resulted in his life sentence.

• Crowell was the former national sergeant at arms for the club, meaning he took his orders from Higgins and passed them on to the other members of the club. During Higgins’ trial, the defense attempted to shift the blame to Crowell, claiming he acted of his own volition when ordering violent crimes. The blame for these actions were attributed to Higgins, however.

Crowell’s official conviction is for direct street gang activities. He will be required to report for probation in Smith County for six months before serving the rest of his six years in Henderson County. He was also sentenced to 1,000 hours of community service. He will no longer be allowed to contact his former club members.
Finally, he will be required to serve 10 days in jail each year of his probation.