Dances With Wolves actor Nathan Chasing Horse is facing time behind bars after being convicted of sexually assaulting Indigenous women and girls.
Judge Jessica Peterson sentenced Chasing Horse, 49, to 37 years to life in prison on Monday, April 27, with the possibility of parole after serving a minimum of 25 years, according to KTNV. He received credit for 1,184 days in jail since he was originally arrested on charges in 2023.
The Clark County District Attorney’s Office released a statement after the verdict, noting that the convictions stemmed from “multiple counts” related to sexual assaults and other offenses involving victims Chasing Horse targeted while “misusing his position as a self-described spiritual leader.”
“For decades, victims of Nathan Chasing Horse came forward and they were ignored,” Chief Deputy District Attorney William Rowles said. “I hope this verdict gives them some peace.”
Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson, meanwhile, added: “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.”
Chasing Horse was taken into custody in 2023 after Las Vegas police executed a search warrant at his home. The Associated Press reported at the time that the investigation began after a tip was received in October 2022. Some of the allegations, however, dated back years — with Chasing Horse also facing charges in other states and in Canada.
Officials also said a warrant remains active in Alberta in connection with a separate case. In January, a Las Vegas jury found Chasing Horse guilty of 13 of the 21 charges he faced after an 11-day trial where prosecutors presented testimony from multiple victims.
The charges included 10 counts of sexual assault of a minor under 16, one count of open/gross lewdness, one count of sexual assault and one count of possession of visual presentation depicting sexual conduct of a child, per local news outlet KTNV.
According to authorities, Chasing Horse was accused of using his influence within Native American communities to commit the alleged sexual assault. Chasing Horse, for his part, denied the allegations and described the conviction as a “miscarriage of justice.”
Following the convictions, the Tsuut’ina Nation Police Service in Alberta acknowledged the convictions while referring to the outcome as “a significant step toward justice for the survivors” and commending the victims who spoke out.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
