Brandon Edwards

SMITH COUNTY—Chad Crowell of Eustace who was charged with Direct Activities of Street Gang which is a first degree felony, pled guilty Feb. 6 and was sentenced the same day to six years’ probation. 
According to Smith County judicial records, Crowell was arrested in April 2024 for his connection to the murder of Brandon Edwards of Arp and was accused of leading a motorcycle club called the Ugly Man Cossacks. Crowell pled guilty to giving orders which resulted in the death of Edwards and accepted a sentence of six years’ probation. 

TYLER–After a December mistrial because of a hung jury, a fresh Smith County panel voted unanimously Jan. 17 to find an area man guilty of a first-degree felony in relation to what the jury affirmed as giving orders that led to the 2020 shooting death of a motorcyclist near Tyler.