Nathan Chasing Horse sentenced to life in prison for sexual assault | US news
Nathan Chasing Horse was sentenced to life imprisonment for sexually assaulting Indigenous women and girls.
A Nevada judge sentenced the Dancing With Wolves actor on Monday. The jury had previously found him guilty of 13 charges, mostly related to sexual assault. He was accused by three women, one of whom was 14 years old when the attacks began. He was acquitted of some charges.
The accusers and their families told Judge Jessica Peterson that they continue to suffer from the trauma caused by Chasing Horse and struggle with their faith after he exploited his position as a spiritual leader.
Wearing his dark blue Clark County Detention Center uniform, Chasing Horse looked directly ahead as he read the victims’ statements. He denied the accusations against him.
“This is a miscarriage of justice,” he told the judge on Monday.
Other charges in Canada still pending
The decision caps a years-long prosecution effort after the former actor was first arrested and indicted in 2023. This initial arrest reverberated throughout Indian Country, with law enforcement in other states and Canada subsequently filing more criminal charges. These charges are still pending.
The British Columbia Prosecution Service said Chasing Horse was charged with sexual assault in February 2023, but the alleged offense was dated in September 2018 near Keremeos, a village about four hours east of Vancouver. In November 2023, the trial was paused due to Chasing Horse’s charges in the United States, but resumed the following year.
Once all of Chasing Horse’s appeals are exhausted, British Columbia prosecutors will consider next steps, British Columbia Prosecution Service communications advisor Damienne Darby said in an email.
The Tsuut’ina Nation police force in Alberta said in a statement following Chasing Horse’s conviction in January that an arrest warrant against Chasing Horse remains outstanding in Alberta. The Tsuut’ina Nation police force said it is in contact with the Alberta Crown prosecutor’s office regarding the arrest warrant.
The hearing in January focuses on his role as spiritual leader.
Chasing Horse was born on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, home of the Sicangu Sioux, one of the seven tribes of the Lakota nation. Following his role as young Sioux tribesman Smiles a Lot in Kevin Costner’s Oscar-winning film Dances With Wolves, Chasing Horse traveled throughout Indian Country attending meetings and performing healing ceremonies.
During his trial, Nevada prosecutors said Chasing Horse used his fame as a Lakota healer to prey on native women and girls.
Assistant district attorney Bianca Pucci told the jury that Chasing Horse “weaved a web of abuse” that ensnared many women for almost 20 years.
Jurors heard from three women who said Chasing Horse sexually assaulted them. The jury returned guilty verdicts on some charges against the three.
Many described how they participated in sacrificial ceremonies or went to Chasing Horse for medical attention.
One of the victims, Corena Leone-LaCroix, was 14 when she told Chasing Horse in 2012 that spirits asked her to give up her virginity to save her mother, who was diagnosed with cancer. He then sexually assaulted Pucci and told her that her mother would die if she told anyone. Pucci said the sexual assaults continued for years. The Associated Press generally does not use the names of alleged sexual assault victims unless they are publicly disclosed, as Leone-LaCroix did.
Chasing Horse has denied the allegations, and its lawyer has questioned the credibility of the main accuser, calling her a “scorned woman”. His lawyer had requested a new trial, arguing that the witness was not authorized to speak about the grooming issue and that the statute of limitations had expired. This motion was rejected.
Victims and family members testified that they struggled with their faith as a result of Chasing Horse’s actions. The victims’ mothers said Chasing Horse betrayed their trust and abused sacred traditions.
“Even today I struggle to regain my faith and spirituality,” said one victim’s mother.
One victim said she was still facing complications after suffering an ectopic pregnancy as a result of the attack and being forced to undergo surgery.
One victim said, “I choose to see this moment as a new beginning. I will rebuild my life, take back my voice, and continue to fight for the future I deserve.”
Dr. is the CEO and founder of United Natives, an organization that provides services to victims of sexual abuse. Crystal Lee said she hoped the victims would find peace with the sentence. Lee said Chasing Horse’s case shows the importance of holding high-profile perpetrators accountable and believing the victims involved.
Lee said Chasing Horse used his status as an actor and healer to prey on victims, similar to other faith leaders who abused their power.
“I think it makes us question who we trust and why we trust it,” Lee said.
