Ramsey Orta, 22, in this photo taken shortly after Eric Garner's death, held a memorial for Garner on Bay Street. Orta was later arrested Saturday, Aug. 2, on weapon possession charges. (Staten Island Advance/Ryan Lavis)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Despite his contention of a frame-up, Ramsey Orta's testimony didn't sway a grand jury, which indicted him on weapon charges, stemming from an Aug. 2 arrest, it was revealed in court Friday.

Orta, 22, who filmed an NYPD officer's fatal chokehold of Eric Garner last month, pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in state Supreme Court, St. George.

Cops allege Orta stuffed an unloaded .25 caliber handgun into the waistband of Alba Lekaj, 17, outside the Hotel Richmond at 71 Central Ave., St. George, two weeks ago. Officers recovered the weapon, said police.

A spokesman for District Attorney Daniel Donovan said the grand jury declined to indict Ms. Lekaj, a Tompkinsville resident, on gun charges. She was indicted for misdemeanor marijuana possession and her case will be returned to Stapleton Criminal Court.

A short, slight man, Orta was garbed in a black sweatshirt and white sweat pants. He made no statement as his lawyer, Matthew Zuntag, entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.

The indictment charges Orta with single felony counts of third-degree criminal weapon possession and criminal firearm possession. He's also accused of misdemeanor weapon possession.

The .25 caliber Norton handgun police charged Ramsey Orta with illegally possessing on Saturday, Aug. 2. (Courtesy of DCPI)

Zuntag asked that Orta's bail, previously set at $75,000 bond or $25,000 cash, be reduced to $25,000 bond or $10,000 cash.

He said no fingerprints were found on the gun.

Assistant District Attorney Adam Silberlight countered that the grand jury "rejected" Orta's testimony and indicted him. He said prosecutors await DNA tests on the weapon.

Justice Stephen J. Rooney retained the existing bail, which Orta has not posted, saying the defendant is a "predicate felon." One conviction, in January 2012, was for a felony count of attempted criminal drug possession, court records show.

The judge also noted Orta has two cases pending in Stapleton Criminal Court.

In one, Orta and a co-defendant are accused of robbery and a series of other offenses stemming from a May 4 incident on Bay Street, just a short walk from where he filmed Garner's last moments.

In the other, he's accused of punching a man who was collecting bottles outside Orta's Van Duzer Street home on July 13, said a source with knowledge of the case. The alleged victim suffered facial lacerations and swelling, said authorities.

Orta was ordered back to state Supreme Court for a Sept. 5 conference.

Outside court, Orta's wife, Chrissie Ortiz, called the charges against her husband "total b.s."

"None of it makes any sense," said Ms. Ortiz, who was arrested on Aug. 5 and charged with misdemeanor assault, arising from a dispute with a female in Tompkinsville, said police. She was issued a desk appearance ticket and released.

"I'm just worried about my husband and getting out the truth and making sure justice is served for Eric Garner and my husband, " she said.