Nathan Chasing Horse sentenced to life in prison for sexual assault
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Nathan Chasing Horse, star of the TV series “Dances with Wolves”, was sentenced to life imprisonment for sexual assault.
according to Associated PressA judge in Nevada sentenced the actor on Monday. Earlier this year, a jury found Chasing Horse guilty of 13 of the 21 charges he faced; most of these involved a victim who was 14 when the attacks began.
According to the release, Chasing Horse stared straight ahead as the victims and their families told Judge Jessica Peterson about the trauma they were still experiencing. “This is a miscarriage of justice,” the actor told the judge on Monday. Chasing Horse continued to deny the accusations against him.
Former actor Nathan Chasing Horse, known for “Dancing with Wolves”, was found guilty of multiple sexual assault charges on January 30, 2026. (AP Images)
Chasing Horse was acquitted of many cases sexual assault The charges date from a later period when the 14-year-old victim was older and living with him and other friends.
‘DANCES WITH WOLVES’ ACTOR NATHAN CHASING HORSE JUDGED ON SEXUAL ASSAULT
During his trial in January, prosecutors said the former actor used his fame as a Lakota healer as a weapon, using cultural traditions and spiritual beliefs to prey on indigenous women and girls.
“This is a miscarriage of justice.”
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The decision capped an effort that lasted years after Chasing Horse was first arrested and indicted in 2023, sending what authorities described as shockwaves through the region.
During the 11-day trial, jurors heard testimony from three women who claimed Chasing Horse sexually assaulted them; some of them were minors. jury ultimately returned guilty verdict on charges against all three accusers.
Nathan Chasing Horse is led out of the courtroom at the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas after a jury found him guilty of sexual assault on Jan. 30, 2026. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
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Chasing Horse was born Rosebud Reservation in South DakotaHome of the Sicangu Sioux, one of the seven tribes of the Lakota Nation. He became known for his role as Smile a Lot in Kevin Costner’s Oscar-winning 1990 film “Dances with Wolves,” one of the most prominent films of its time featuring Native American actors.
The hearing took place at a time when violence against indigenous women is under increasing scrutiny; officials acknowledged that the issue had long been underreported and underprosecuted.
Nathan Chasing Horse in a booking photo published on January 31, 2023. (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department/AP)
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Chasing Horse also faces sex crime charges in other states. in canada. British Columbia prosecutors said Friday they will determine how to proceed after the sentencing is handed down and appeals are completed in the United States.
Fox News Digital’s Stephanie Giang-Paunon and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
