Major Daniel Higgins
Jail Operations
Major Daniel Higgins
Jail Operations
The Cherokee County Adult Detention Center is comprised of a 512-bed direct supervision style facility in our Millennial Jail and 583-bed indirect supervision style facility in our new Housing Tower. Our Housing Tower opened in July of 2021. These facilities afford housing to individuals both pre-sentence and sentenced. The primary function of the Adult Detention Center is for the receiving, processing, and housing of individuals charged with a felony and/or misdemeanor criminal violations. Those individuals that are unable to make bond remain in custody until they appear in court.
The secondary function is the housing of sentenced inmates. Some inmates are sentenced to serve time for misdemeanor offenses (less than 1 year) and remain in the county facility for the duration of their sentence. Inmates that receive a court sentence of more than 1 year are considered inmates of the Georgia Department of Corrections and remain in the county facility until they are transferred to a facility of the State of Georgia.
People visiting the Adult Detention Center and Video Visitation Center are not allowed to loiter, smoke, or use a cell phone within a hundred feet of the building for security reasons. These rules are posted at all entrances to the facility. Please adhere to these rules while visiting.
Mail is delivered to inmates the same day it is received. Personal packages are not permitted. Mail from other jails, prisons, boot camps, or any detention facility will not be accepted. Mail with no return address will not be given to the inmates. All incoming mail is monitored for contraband.
Books and magazine subscriptions are no longer accepted and will be returned to sender. Periodicals (i.e. newspapers, USA today, etc.) are allowed and must be of appropriate content.
ALL inmate mail for LEGAL PURPOSES (attorney’s office, government, courts, etc.) will be received and opened in front of the inmate. These are the ONLY articles of mail that will be received for inmates.
Items containing glitter, glues, adhesive, correction liquid or tape, crayons, paints, perfumes, lipstick, or any other chemical agents, or any wet areas will not be allowed. Pages/inserts removed from any publication and photocopies of any publications are not allowed.
Attention: Changes to Inmate Mail Distribution
Inmate mail packages (i.e. Amazon, Fed Ex, UPS, or any other distributor) will NOT be accepted any further starting Monday, May 1st, 2023.
Anything received from that point on will be returned to sender (RTS).
Captain Irene Ruiz
Commander, Operational Support
Captain James Cox
Commander, Adult Detention Center
Lt. Lauren Denson
Shift 1 Commander ADC
678-493-4200
Lt. Chris Strauts
Shift 2 Commander ADC
678-493-4200
Lt. Strauts has been employed with the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office since 1998. He is currently assigned as Watch Commander on Shift 2. Prior to working with the Sheriff’s Office, Lt. Strauts was a Non-commissioned Officer in the U.S. Air Force, serving 8 years in law enforcement as a K-9 handler/Trainer. Lt. Strauts has a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Wayland Baptist University.
Lt. Dan Lavine
Shift 3 Commander ADC
678-493-4200
Lt. Lavine has been employed with the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office since 2004. He is a graduate of Reinhardt University where he obtained his BA and MPA. He has also received his Supervisory Certification and is a graduate of Columbus State University Professional Management Program.
Throughout his career, he has served as a Deputy/Corporal in the Adult Detention Center, and Uniform Patrol Division, where he served as a Field Training Officer (FTO) / FTO Coordinator, Shift Supervisor, and Watch Commander, and in Special Operations, where he served as a STRIKE team member.
Lt. Lavine has been married for 45 years with four adult children and seven grandchildren.
Lt. Michael Imbriano
Shift 4 Commander ADC
678-493-4200
