A Nevada jury on Friday convicted actor Nathan Chasing Horse of sexually assaulting Indigenous women and girls, marking a significant legal development in a case that has reverberated through Indian Country. The jurors found Chasing Horse, 49, guilty of 13 of the 21 charges he faced, primarily related to his conduct with a victim who was 14 when the abuse began. He was acquitted of some charges involving an older victim who lived with him.
Chasing Horse, who played a minor role in the 1990 film Dances With Wolves, faces a minimum of 25 years in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for March 11. Prosecutors alleged that Chasing Horse exploited his reputation as a Lakota medicine man to prey on vulnerable individuals. The case has drawn attention to broader issues of abuse within Indigenous communities.
Chasing Horse has also been charged with sex crimes in other states and Canada. British Columbia prosecutors stated they will assess next steps once his U.S. sentencing and any appeals are finalized. The verdict concluded a yearslong legal effort that began with his arrest and indictment in 2023.
As the verdict was read, Chasing Horse stood quietly in court. Victims and supporters, wearing yellow ribbons, embraced in the hallway. The main victim declined to comment. William Rowles, the Clark County chief deputy district attorney, thanked the women who testified, expressing hope that the verdict would bring them peace. Defense attorney Craig Mueller announced plans to file a motion for a new trial, citing confusion and disappointment with the jury’s decision and questioning the sincerity of the accusations.
Chasing Horse, born on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, is a member of the Sicangu Sioux, one of the seven tribes of the Lakota nation.