An Etowah County judge today dropped charges against a Rainbow City police officer who was arrested in January on sodomy charges.

District Judge Will Clay dismissed charges against Chase Jenkins, who resigned from Rainbow City police after his arrest.

Following the hearing, Jenkins' estranged wife Melisa Anne Jenkins, 42, was arrested on charges of perjury and falsely reporting an incident. She was later released on $16,500 bond from the Etowah County Detention Center, according to jail logs.

According to court documents, the charges were dismissed after submission of documents by Jenkins' attorney and by the Etowah County District Attorney's Office. Jenkins previously held the rank of captain with the Rainbow City department.

In a statement through his attorney, Jenkins thanked his friends and supporters for their encouragement since his arrest.

"Words cannot describe the feeling I have being exonerated on these charges," he said. "I have been innocent of these charges from day number one and I'm glad it's over. It's hard to describe the feelings of loneliness and despair that you have when you are facing felony charges on a crime you didn't commit."

Jenkins' attorney, James Shelnutt, said "the justice system got it right."

"We put in a lot of hard work and conducted an intensive investigation into this case and it paid off," Shelnutt said.

Jenkins said he intends on returning to his career in law enforcement, feeling it has made him "a better and more understanding police officer."

"I know, for sure, that it will cause me to take those extra steps to make sure I'm not putting an innocent person in jail," he said. "I wouldn't want anyone to go through what I've gone through."