Nathan Chasing Horse: ‘Dances With Wolves’ Actor to Be Sentenced in Sexual Abuse Case
Las Vegas is set to deliver a sentence to Nathan Chasing Horse, the actor best known for his role in Kevin Costner’s 1990 film Dances With Wolves. The sentencing concludes a case involving multiple allegations of sexual abuse against Indigenous women and girls, a case that has resonated deeply within Native American communities across the country.
Chasing Horse was found guilty on 13 of the 21 charges brought against him by a Nevada jury last month. Many of the convictions relate to abuse involving a victim who was 14 years old when the abuse began. Whereas acquitted on several counts, the verdict represents a significant outcome in a case that has drawn attention to the vulnerability of Indigenous women and girls and the potential for abuse of power within spiritual and cultural contexts.
He now faces a minimum sentence of 25 years in prison. His defense attorney, Craig Mueller, previously filed a motion for a new trial, arguing that a witness lacked the necessary qualifications to testify about grooming tactics and that the statute of limitations had expired on some of the charges. That motion was denied.
The case against Chasing Horse unfolded over several years, beginning with his arrest and indictment in 2023. The initial arrest sparked a wave of attention and prompted law enforcement agencies in other states and Canada to investigate further allegations against him.
Born on the Rosebud Lakota Sioux Reservation in South Dakota in , Chasing Horse rose to prominence with his role as Smiles a Lot in Dances With Wolves. He subsequently traveled extensively throughout Indian Country, participating in powwows and conducting healing ceremonies. It was through these ceremonies and his self-proclaimed role as a medicine man that prosecutors allege he gained access to his victims.
According to testimony presented at trial, one accuser alleged that Chasing Horse claimed spirits required her to relinquish her virginity to save her mother, who was battling cancer, in . Deputy District Attorney Bianca Pucci stated that Chasing Horse then allegedly assaulted her and warned her against disclosing the abuse, fearing for her mother’s life. Pucci further alleged that the abuse continued for years.
The sentencing arrives after a complex legal journey. In , Chasing Horse was banned from the Fort Peck Indian Reservation in Montana after officials deemed him a “safety threat” due to allegations of human trafficking, sexual abuse, drug dealing, and intimidation of tribal members.
Beyond the Nevada case, Chasing Horse faces additional legal challenges. He was charged with sexual assault in British Columbia, Canada, in , related to an alleged incident in near Keremeos. Proceedings in that case were paused while the U.S. Trial progressed but have since resumed. A warrant for his arrest as well remains outstanding with the Tsuut’ina Nation in Alberta, Canada, on multiple charges of sexual exploitation and sexual assault.
The case has brought renewed attention to the disproportionately high rates of violence experienced by Indigenous women and girls in the United States. Research from the National Institute of Justice indicates that more than four out of five American Indian and Alaska Native women have experienced violence, and over half have been victims of sexual violence. The Chasing Horse case underscores the need for continued efforts to address these systemic issues and protect vulnerable populations.
Prosecutors in British Columbia are awaiting the conclusion of all appeals in the U.S. Case to determine their next steps, according to communications counsel Damienne Darby.