(KAIR)--A former physician assistant accused of sexually abusing patients at a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in Leavenworth has waived a preliminary hearing in the second of two criminal cases pending against him.

The Leavenworth Times reports Mark Wisner, of Horton, waived his right to a preliminary hearing Friday in a Leavenworth County courtroom on a charge of aggravated sexual battery.

His court-appointed attorney said Wisner was entering a not guilty plea to the charge.

Wisner had previously waived his right to a preliminary hearing in another case. In that case, he's charged with aggravated criminal sodomy and three misdemeanor counts of sexual battery.

A trial in that case is set for October 31st.

The crimes allegedly occurred in 2014 while Wisner worked at the Eisenhower VA Medical Center.

The prosecutor is seeking to combine the two cases for trial. A hearing on the motion to consolidate the cases has been set for October 13th.

Wisner surrendered his medical license after at least seven patients accused him of abusing them.

Meanwhile, United States Senator Jerry Moran continues to put pressure on the Department of Veterans Affairs in connection to the allegations of sexual abuse committed by Wisner. “He had a criminal record admitted on his application for state licensure when he was hired. The VA hired him anyway,” Moran said during a committee hearing last week, where he questioned Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Bob McDonald as a follow up to a letter Moran recently sent to him. “Clearly he never should have been hired and never should have never been retained as an employee of the VA,” Moran said of Wisner.

According to a press release issued by Moran's office following the hearing, the Republican from Kansas says McDonald was unable to fully address his questions regarding the case.

Earlier this month, Moran received a commitment from Veteran's Health Administration Deputy Under Secretary Dr. Carolyn Clancy to address the hiring and background check processes.

Moran, a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, has now introduced the Accountability to Safeguard Veterans from Violent Crimes Act.

The legislation would cut pensions earned by certain U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs providers who are convicted of a crime of violence, such as sexual assault, against a veteran.