Nathan Chasing Horse sentenced to life in prison for sexual assault
Nathan Chasing Horse has been sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of multiple sexual assault charges involving Indigenous women and girls, including a minor, over a nearly 20-year period. The Nevada jury found him guilty on 13 counts, with prosecutors highlighting how he exploited his status as a spiritual leader and former actor to manipulate and abuse victims. Victims and their families described lasting trauma and a loss of faith in spiritual traditions due to his actions. The case has drawn widespread attention across Indigenous communities in the U.S. and Canada, where additional charges are still pending.
- ▪Nathan Chasing Horse was convicted of 13 counts of sexual assault involving three women, one of whom was 14 when the abuse began.
- ▪He was sentenced to life in prison by a Nevada judge following a trial that emphasized his exploitation of his role as a Lakota medicine man.
- ▪Chasing Horse faces pending sexual assault charges in British Columbia and an outstanding warrant in Alberta, Canada.
- ▪Victims testified that Chasing Horse used spiritual manipulation, including claiming the spirits demanded sexual acts, to control them.
- ▪His defense argued the main accuser lacked credibility and sought to dismiss charges over statute of limitations, but the motion was denied.
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Nathan Chasing Horse in court on Wednesday, 7 January 2026, in Las Vegas. Photograph: Las Vegas Review-Journal/TNSView image in fullscreenNathan Chasing Horse in court on Wednesday, 7 January 2026, in Las Vegas. Photograph: Las Vegas Review-Journal/TNSUS newsNathan Chasing Horse sentenced to life in prison for sexual assaultDances With Wolves actor assaulted Indigenous women and girls, exploiting his position as a spiritual leaderAssociated PressMon 27 Apr 2026 20.00 EDTLast modified on Mon 27 Apr 2026 20.01 EDTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleNathan Chasing Horse has been sentenced to life in prison for sexually assaulting Indigenous women and girls.A Nevada judge gave the Dances With Wolves actor his sentence Monday. A jury had previously convicted him of 13 charges, mostly related to sexual assault. He was accused by three women, including one who was 14 when the assaults began. He was acquitted on some charges.Accusers and their families told Judge Jessica Peterson they continue to suffer from the trauma caused by Chasing Horse and struggle with their faith after he exploited his position as a spiritual leader.Chasing Horse, wearing his navy blue Clark county detention center uniform, stared straight ahead as victims read their statements. He denied the charges against him.“This is a miscarriage of justice,” he told the judge on Monday.Other charges in Canada are still pendingThe sentencing wraps a years-long effort to prosecute the former actor after he was first arrested and indicted in 2023. That initial arrest reverberated around Indian Country, with law enforcement in other states and Canada following up with more criminal charges. Those charges are still pending.The British Columbia Prosecution Service said Chasing Horse was charged with sexual assault in February 2023, though the date of the alleged offense took place in September 2018 near Keremeos, a village about four hours east of Vancouver. In November 2023, the case paused due to Chasing Horse’s charges in the United States, but resumed the following year.After all of Chasing Horse’s appeals have been exhausted, British Columbia prosecutors will assess next steps, Damienne Darby, communications counsel for the British Columbia Prosecution Service, said in an email.A warrant against Chasing Horse remains outstanding in Alberta, the Tsuut’ina Nation police service in Alberta said in a statement following Chasing Horse’s conviction in January. The Tsuut’ina Nation police service said that it is in contact with the Alberta Crown prosecutors office regarding the warrant.January trial focuses on his role as spiritual leader.Chasing Horse was born on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, which is home to the Sicangu Sioux, one of the seven tribes of the Lakota nation. Following his appearance as the young Sioux tribe member Smiles a Lot in Kevin Costner’s Oscar-winning film Dances With Wolves, Chasing Horse traveled across Indian Country to attend powwows and perform healing ceremonies.During his trial, Nevada prosecutors said Chasing Horse used his reputation as a Lakota medicine man to prey on Indigenous women and girls.Bianca Pucci, deputy district attorney, told the jury that for almost 20 years, Chasing Horse “spun a web of abuse” that ensnared many women.Jurors heard from three women who said Chasing Horse sexually assaulted them. The jury returned guilty verdicts on some charges related to all three.Multiple victims described how they participated in his ceremonies…
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