By Guy Page

A Bennington man has been arrested following an investigation into allegations of inappropriate conduct involving a young child, Vermont State Police announced Tuesday.

Cody Shores, 31, of Bennington, was taken into custody on July 29, 2025, on charges of Lewd and Lascivious Conduct with a Child and a probation violation. He is being held without bail at the Marble Valley Correctional Center and is scheduled to appear in Bennington County Criminal Court on Wednesday, July 30 at 12:30 p.m.

The investigation began on May 27, when the Vermont Department for Children and Families (DCF) received a report involving disturbing statements made by a 6-year-old child about inappropriate behavior occurring in a shared residence. The child reported that Shores had exposed himself to her.

Detectives with the Vermont State Police, in collaboration with DCF, launched an investigation. The following day, the child was interviewed at the Bennington County Child Advocacy Center, where she disclosed further allegations of lewd and lascivious conduct by Shores.

Authorities took Shores into custody and processed him at the Shaftsbury Barracks before transferring him to state custody. Due to the nature of the case, the identity of the victim is not being released, consistent with state policy protecting the privacy of victims of sexual assault and domestic violence.

The case remains under investigation.

Out-of-state men arrested after public fight in Waterbury – Three out-of-state men are facing criminal charges following a reported fight and traffic stop along Vermont Route 100 on Tuesday evening, July 29.

State police say that at 6:04 p.m. they responded to a report that two males were seen fighting in public in Waterbury before fleeing the scene in a black Mazda CX-5 with Texas plates. The police report does not cite the location of the fight. 

Troopers located and stopped the vehicle in Moretown. After an investigation, 23-year-old Diego Espitia of Indianapolis, Indiana, was arrested for domestic assault and disorderly conduct. Police allege he assaulted a 19-year-old household member and engaged in fighting in a public place. Espitia was transported to the Berlin Barracks for processing, then lodged at the Northeast Correctional Complex on $1,500 cash bail. He was cited to appear in Washington County Superior Court – Criminal Division on July 30.

Troopers also cited 27-year-old Fernando Espitia Jr., also of Indianapolis, for disorderly conduct, alleging he too was involved in the public altercation. He was released with a citation to appear in court on August 14. .

The vehicle’s driver, Christian M. Alvarez, 33, of Brownsville, Texas – listed online as a Texas real estate agent – showed signs of impairment during the traffic stop. He was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs and transported to the Berlin Police Department for processing. Alvarez was also issued a citation to appear in court; the date and time of his arraignment were not immediately released. 

The name of the victim in the domestic assault case is being withheld in accordance with Vermont State Police policy.