Nathan Chasing Horse, the American actor once known for his role in the Oscar-winning film Dances with Wolves, has been sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting Indigenous women and girls over a span of nearly two decades.
The 49-year-old was handed the sentence on Monday by Nevada judge Jessica Peterson, following a jury’s decision earlier this year that found him guilty on 13 of the 21 charges he faced. The verdict came after an intense 11-day trial that laid bare years of alleged abuse and manipulation.
Chasing Horse was first arrested in 2023 during a SWAT operation and later booked into Clark County Jail. Authorities charged him with multiple serious offences, including child abuse, sexual assault, assault against a minor, and sex trafficking.
Prosecutors argued that Chasing Horse used his reputation as a spiritual leader—often referred to as a “medicine man” within Indigenous communities across the United States and Canada—to exploit vulnerable individuals. Victims and their families testified that he manipulated spiritual beliefs to gain trust and control.
One of the survivors, Corena Leone-LaCroix, told the court she was just 14 when the abuse began. In a powerful statement, she described the lasting impact on her life: “There is no way to get back the youth, the childhood loss… The life that little girl could have lived has been taken from me forever.”
Deputy District Attorney Bianca Pucci described the case as a calculated pattern of abuse, telling jurors that Chasing Horse had “spun a web of abuse” over nearly 20 years. She detailed how he allegedly convinced victims that harmful acts were spiritually necessary—at one point telling Leone-LaCroix that surrendering her virginity would save her ailing mother.
During sentencing, the court heard additional testimonies from three women who recounted similar experiences. Judge Peterson condemned Chasing Horse’s actions, stating that he had preyed on victims’ spirituality and manipulated their beliefs for personal gratification.
Despite the life sentence, Chasing Horse will be eligible for parole after serving 37 years.
