Dances With Wolves actor Nathan Chasing Horse jailed for life for sexual assault

A judge has sentenced "Dances With Wolves" actor Nathan Chasing Horse to life in prison for the sexual assault of Indigenous women and girls. A Nevada jury had previously found him guilty on 13 charges, predominantly relating to the sexual assault of three women . Victims and their families addressed Judge Jessica Peterson, describing how they continue to suffer from the trauma inflicted by Chasing Horse, 49 , and how their faith has been shattered after he exploited his position as a spiritual leader . "There is no way to get back the youth, the childhood loss, my first time, my first kiss, the graduation I never got to have," said Corena Leone-LaCroix, who was 14 when Chasing Horse assaulted her. "The life that little girl could have lived has been taken from me forever." Alleged sexual assault victims names are not usually disclosed unless they come forward publicly, as Leone-LaCroix has. Dressed in his navy blue Clark County Detention Center uniform, Chasing Horse stared straight ahead as victims delivered their statements. He will become eligible for parole after serving 37 years, and has maintained his innocence throughout. "This is a miscarriage of justice," he told the judge on Monday. Peterson noted she was struck by his persistent denial of the charges in spite of the evidence presented at trial. "You preyed on these women's trusts and their spirituality, and you manipulated them for your own personal gratification," she said before she announced his sentence. The sentencing brings to a close a lengthy, multi-year effort to bring the former actor to justice, following his initial arrest and indictment in 2023. That first arrest sent shockwaves throughout Indian Country, prompting law enforcement agencies across other US states and Canada to pursue additional criminal charges, which remain ongoing. The British Columbia Prosecution Service confirmed that Chasing Horse was charged with sexual assault in February 2023, relating to an alleged offence said to have taken place in September 2018 near Keremeos, a village roughly four hours east of Vancouver. Proceedings were temporarily halted in November 2023 owing to Chasing Horse's charges in the United States, before resuming the following year. Once all of Chasing Horse's appeals have been exhausted, British Columbia prosecutors will evaluate their next course of action. Meanwhile, an outstanding warrant against Chasing Horse remains in place in Alberta, according to a statement issued by the Tsuut'ina Nation Police Service following Chasing Horse's conviction in January. The force confirmed it is in ongoing contact with the Alberta Crown Prosecutors Office regarding the warrant. Chasing Horse was born on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, the ancestral home of the Sicangu Sioux, one of the seven tribes of the Lakota nation. After his breakthrough role as the young Sioux tribesman Smiles a Lot in Kevin Costner's Oscar-winning blockbuster "Dances With Wolves," Chasing Horse journeyed throughout Indian Country, attending powwows and conducting healing ceremonies. During his trial, Nevada prosecutors alleged that Chasing Horse exploited his standing as a Lakota medicine man to prey upon Indigenous women and girls. Deputy District Attorney Bianca Pucci told the jury that for nearly 20 years, Chasing Horse "spun a web of abuse" that ensnared many women. Three women took to the stand, testifying that Chasing Horse had sexually assaulted them. The jury returned guilty verdicts on some charges. He was acquitted on others. Numerous victims described how they had participated in his ceremonies or sought out Chasing Horse for medical assistance. Chasing Horse allegedly told Leone-LaCroix when she was 14 that the spirits wanted her to give up her virginity to save her mother, who was diagnosed with cancer. He then sexually assaulted her and told her that if she told anyone, her mother would die, according to Pucci. The sexual assaults continued for years, Pucci said. Chasing Horse denied the allegations while his lawyer cast doubt on the chief accuser's credibility, branding her a "scorned woman." His legal team had submitted a motion for a retrial, contending that a witness lacked the qualifications to testify on grooming and that the statute of limitations had lapsed. That motion was rejected. Victims and their relatives took to the stand, revealing how they continue to battle with their faith following Chasing Horse's actions. The mothers of those affected said Chasing Horse had betrayed their trust and exploited sacred traditions. "Even to this day I struggle to regain my faith and spirituality," said the mother of one of the other victims. The victim revealed she continues to face ongoing health complications following an ectopic pregnancy resulting from the assault, which required surgical intervention. "I am choosing to see this moment as a fresh start," she said. "I will rebuild my life, reclaim my voice and continue fighting for the future I deserve."