Dances With Wolves Actor Nathan Chasing Horse to Be Sentenced in Nevada After Sexual Abuse Conviction
Nathan Chasing Horse, the actor renowned for his portrayal of Smiles a Lot in Kevin Costner's Oscar-winning film Dances With Wolves, is scheduled to be sentenced next Wednesday following his conviction for sexually abusing Indigenous women and girls. This sentencing brings a close to a case that has profoundly affected Native American communities nationwide, highlighting issues of violence and exploitation within these populations.
Conviction Details and Sentencing Expectations
The sentencing comes approximately one month after a Nevada jury found Chasing Horse guilty on 13 of the 21 charges brought against him. Many of these convictions are linked to allegations involving a victim who was just 14 years old when the abuse began. The jury acquitted him of several other sexual assault counts, but he faces a minimum of 25 years in prison if given the lowest possible penalty. Chasing Horse has consistently denied all accusations, maintaining his innocence throughout the trial.
Background and Allegations
Born on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, Chasing Horse traveled extensively across Indian Country after his film role, attending powwows and conducting healing ceremonies. Several victims reported that they either participated in these ceremonies or sought medical assistance from him, leading to the abuse allegations. The central accuser stated that in 2012, when she was 14, Chasing Horse allegedly claimed spirits required her to lose her virginity to save her mother from cancer. According to deputy district attorney Bianca Pucci, he then assaulted her and threatened that if she disclosed the abuse, her mother would die, with the abuse persisting for years afterward.
Legal Proceedings and Appeals
After the verdict, Chasing Horse's attorney, Mueller, requested a new trial, arguing that a witness who testified about grooming lacked proper qualifications and that the legal time limit for prosecution had expired. The judge rejected this request, allowing the sentencing to proceed. This case marks the culmination of a years-long prosecution effort that began in 2023, drawing widespread attention and prompting authorities in other states and Canada to pursue additional criminal allegations against Chasing Horse.
Additional Charges and Community Impact
In February 2023, Chasing Horse was charged with sexual assault related to an incident alleged to have occurred in September 2018 near Keremeos, British Columbia. Proceedings in Canada were paused in November 2023 while his U.S. case advanced but resumed the following year. He has also been banned from the Tsuut'ina Nation in Alberta, where a warrant has been issued for his arrest on multiple charges of sexual exploitation and assault. Once all appeals in the U.S. case are concluded, prosecutors in British Columbia will decide how to proceed, as confirmed by communications counsel Damienne Darby in an email to the Associated Press.
Broader Context and Statistics
In 2015, leaders of the Fort Peck tribe in Montana prohibited Chasing Horse from performing ceremonies on their reservation due to allegations including human trafficking, drug dealing, spiritual manipulation, and intimidation. This case underscores a larger issue: research from the National Institute of Justice indicates that more than four out of five American Indian and Alaska Native women have experienced violence, with over half being victims of sexual violence. The sentencing of Nathan Chasing Horse serves as a pivotal moment in addressing such abuses within Indigenous communities.
