‘Dances With Wolves’ actor Nathan Chasing Horse sentenced to life in prison

las vegas — A Nevada judge sentenced “Dances With Wolves” actor Nathan Chasing Horse on Monday to life in prison for sexually assaulting Native women and girls.

A jury had previously convicted him of 13 charges, most of which related to the sexual assault of three women.

The defendants and their families told Judge Jessica Peterson they were still traumatized by Chasing Horse, 49, and struggled with their faith after he took advantage of his position as spiritual leader.

“There is no way to regain youth, the loss of childhood, my first time, my first kiss, the graduation I never had,” said Corinna Leon Lacroix, who was 14 when the Chasing Horse assaulted her. “The life that little girl could have had has been taken from me forever.”

The Associated Press does not typically use the names of alleged sexual assault victims unless they come forward publicly, as Leon LaCroix did.

Chasing Horse, dressed in his navy blue uniform at the Clark County Detention Center, stared straight ahead as the victims read their statements and remained calm as he was escorted out of the courtroom. He will be eligible for parole after serving 37 years in prison and continuing to deny the charges against him.

“This is a miscarriage of justice,” he told the judge on Monday.

Peterson said she was astonished by his continued denial of the charges despite the evidence presented at trial.

“You took advantage of the deposits and spirituality of these women, and manipulated them for your own personal satisfaction,” she said before announcing his sentence. When the session adjourned, more than a dozen people in the courtroom applauded.

Other charges in Canada remain pending

The ruling concludes a year-long effort to prosecute the former actor after he was first arrested and charged in 2023. That initial arrest has reverberated throughout Indian Country, with law enforcement in other states and Canada pursuing more criminal charges. These charges are still pending.

The British Columbia Prosecution Service said Chasing Horse was charged with sexual assault in February 2023, although the date of the alleged offense occurred in September 2018 near the village of Keremeos, about four hours east of Vancouver. In November 2023, the case was temporarily halted due to horse-chasing charges in the United States, but resumed the following year.

After all of Chasing Horse’s appeals have been exhausted, British Columbia prosecutors will evaluate next steps, Damien Darby, communications advisor for the British Columbia Prosecution Service, said in an email.

An arrest warrant against Chasing Horse remains outstanding in Alberta, Alberta’s Tsuut’ina Nation Police Service said in a statement after Chasing Horse’s conviction in January. The Tsuut’ina Nation Police Service said it is in contact with the Alberta Attorney General’s Office regarding the arrest warrant.

The January trial focused on his role as a spiritual leader

Chasing Horse was born on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, which is home to the Sicango Sioux Tribe, one of the Seven Tribes of the Lakota Nation. After appearing as a young member of the Sioux tribe Smiles a Lot in Kevin Costner’s Oscar-winning film “Dances With Wolves,” Chasing Horse traveled across Indian Country attending powwows and performing healing ceremonies.

During his trial, Nevada prosecutors said Chasing Horse used his reputation as a Lakota medicine man to assault Native women and girls.

Deputy District Attorney Bianca Bucci told the jury that over the course of nearly 20 years, Chasing Horse “weaved a web of abuse” that ensnared numerous women.

Jurors heard from three women who said Chasing Horse sexually assaulted them. The jury returned guilty verdicts on some of the charges. He was acquitted among the others.

Need medical help

Many victims described how they participated in his celebrations or went to Chasing Horse to get medical help.

Chasing Horse allegedly told Leon LaCroix when she was 14 that spirits wanted her to give up her virginity to save her mother, who had been diagnosed with cancer. He then sexually assaulted her and told her that if she told anyone, her mother would die, according to Bucci. Bucci said the sexual assaults continued for years.

Chasing Horse denied the allegations and his lawyer questioned the credibility of the main accused, describing her as a “despised woman.” His attorney had filed a motion for a new trial, arguing that the witness was not qualified to talk about grooming and that the statute of limitations had expired. This proposal was rejected.

Victims and their family members testified that they suffered for their beliefs as a result of Chasing Horse’s actions. The victims’ mothers said Chasing Horse betrayed their trust and abused sacred traditions.

“To this day, I struggle to regain my faith and spirituality,” said Lynette Adams, the mother of Sierra Begay, another victim.

The AP does not typically use the name of alleged sexual assault victims unless they come forward publicly or agree to use their names, as Begay did.

Begay said she is still facing complications after suffering an ectopic pregnancy as a result of the assault and being forced to undergo surgery.

“I choose to see this moment as a new beginning,” Begay said. “I will rebuild my life, regain my voice, and continue to fight for the future I deserve.”