Valerie Diaz // Vice President
Professional Experience
Chase & Associates, Inc., 2008-Present
Vice President
By gathering critical facts and accurately applying them to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, Ms. Diaz provides a variety of post-arrest, pre-plea, pre-trial and pre-sentencing services to individual and corporate offenders. She is a federal sentencing specialist, who has developed the technical expertise needed to be effective when dealing with sentencing issues in the federal court system. Her knowledge and 20 years of experience lends expertise and understanding with regard to the federal sentencing process and the application of Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
United States District Court, 1998-2008 (Middle District of Florida) 1988-1998 (Northern District of Georgia)
Probation Officer / Sentencing Guidelines Specialist
As a supervision officer, provided field supervision and counseling services to federal offenders in the community. As a presentence officer, conducted investigations on the background and activities of federal offenders and prepared Presentence Reports which were provided to United States District Court and Magistrate Court Judges, counsels for the defendant, and Assistant United States Attorneys, for their use at sentencing; to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, for their use in designating, supervising, and release planning; and to the United States Probation Office, for their use in supervising the offender within the community. As a Sentencing Guidelines Specialist, was assigned Presentence Investigations on the more complex cases, typically involving multi-defendants, historical drug investigations, high profile offenders, sophisticated fraud schemes, or corporate offenders, with many having contentious guideline or sentencing issues.
State Court of Cobb County, 1985-1988
Probation Officer
Supervised a large caseload of adult offenders convicted of misdemeanor and abandonment (failure to pay child support) offenses. Duties included monitoring their compliance with conditions of probation and behavior within the community, field supervision, referrals to treatment programs, counseling, and the collection of child support payments. Responsible for the preparation of pre and post sentencing reports, revocation orders, and warrants.
Education and Training
- State University of New York at Oswego, Bachelor of Science Degree in Public Justice
- State University of New York at Canton, Associate of Arts & Science Degree in Criminal Justice
- United States Probation New Officer Training, Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies, Baltimore, MD
- United States Sentencing Commission Training
- Federal Judicial Center Training
- Federal Bar Association Training
- Interviewing and Interrogation Training
- United States Attorney’s Office Training
- Sexual Offender Training
Awards and Commendations
- Court Investigator of the Year - 1993 Northern District of Georgia
- Presentence Officer of the Year - 1999 Middle District of Florida Tampa Division
- Presentence Officer of the Year - 2000 Middle District of Florida Tampa Division
- Recipient of several USPO Tampa Division “Spot Awards”
- Letters of commendation from District Court Judges, members of the Defense Bar and representatives of the U.S. Attorney’s Office