'Dances With Wolves' actor Nathan Chasing Horse convicted on sexual assault charges
A Nevada jury convicted "Dances With Wolves" actor Nathan Chasing Horse on Friday, finding him guilty of sexually assaulting Indigenous women and girls in a case prosecutors said exposed years of hidden abuse.
The verdict was delivered in Las Vegas. Jurors found Chasing Horse guilty of 13 of the 21 charges he faced, most involving a victim who was 14 years old when the assaults began.
He was acquitted on several sexual assault charges tied to a later period when the victim was older and living with him and other companions.
The 49-year-old defendant faces a minimum of 25 years in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for March 11.
Prosecutors said the former actor weaponized his reputation as a Lakota medicine man, exploiting cultural traditions and spiritual beliefs to prey on Indigenous women and girls.
The verdict capped a yearslong effort to hold Chasing Horse accountable after he was first arrested and indicted in 2023, sending what authorities described as shock waves through the area.
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Over the course of an 11-day trial, jurors heard testimony from three women who claimed Chasing Horse sexually assaulted them, some while they were underage. The jury ultimately returned guilty verdicts on charges tied to all three accusers.
Deputy District Attorney Bianca Pucci told jurors that for nearly two decades, Chasing Horse "spun a web of abuse" that trapped vulnerable women.
Prosecutors said the main accuser was just 14 years old in 2012 when Chasing Horse allegedly told her that spirits demanded she give up her virginity to save her mother, who had been diagnosed with cancer.
According to Pucci, the assaults continued for years, reinforced by warnings that her mother would die if she told anyone.
‘DANCES WITH WOLVES’ ACTOR NATHAN CHASING HORSE INDICTED ON 19 COUNTS IN SEX ABUSE CASES
Defense attorney Craig Mueller argued the case lacked physical evidence and eyewitness testimony. He challenged the credibility of the main accuser, calling her a "scorned woman."
Mueller said he will seek a new trial and told The Associated Press he was confused and disappointed by the jury’s decision, citing "meaningful doubts about the sincerity of the accusations."
As the verdict was read aloud, Chasing Horse stood silently in the courtroom. Outside, victims and supporters wept, hugged and wore yellow ribbons. The main victim declined to comment.
Clark County Chief Deputy District Attorney William Rowles said the verdict belonged to the women who came forward.
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"I just hope that the people who came forward over the years and made complaints against Nathan Chasing Horse can find some peace in this," Rowles said.
Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson, who came to the courtroom to hear the verdict, said the decision carried a broader message beyond the case itself.
"Today’s verdict sends a clear message that exploitation and abuse will not be tolerated, regardless of the defendant’s public persona or claims of spiritual authority," Wolfson said.
Chasing Horse was born on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, home to the Sicangu Sioux, one of the seven tribes of the Lakota Nation. He became widely known for portraying Smiles a Lot in Kevin Costner’s Oscar-winning 1990 film "Dances with Wolves," one of the most prominent movies of its time to feature Native American actors.
The trial unfolded amid increased scrutiny of violence against Native women, an issue authorities have acknowledged has long been underreported and under-prosecuted.
Chasing Horse also faces sex crime charges in other states and in Canada. British Columbia prosecutors said Friday they will determine how to proceed after his sentencing and any appeals in the United States are completed.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.