Richmond Sheriff's Office gets boost from drug money

AUGUSTA - Federal officials handed a check for nearly a quarter-million dollars Tuesday to the Richmond County Sheriff&#39;s Office for helping to bring down drug kingpin Robert ``Fat Boy&#39;&#39; Snell. <br> <br> The money, taken from Snell&#39;s forfeited property and drug earnings, can be used only for law enforcement purposes, such as buying weapons, training or undercover operations. <br> <br> ``We&#39;re always excited when we get these checks, but we are more excited when we take these guys off the street,&#39;&#39; Sheriff Ronnie Strength said as he accepted an oversized check for $236,575 from Rick Thompson, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. <br> <br> Snell, 46, was sentenced to 27 years in prison after pleading guilty last year to selling cocaine, methamphetamines, Ecstasy and marijuana. He also agreed to surrender $2.5 million in drug money, two trucks and a lavish five-bedroom home in Grovetown. <br> <br> The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division received $22,629.12 as its share of the forfeited property.