Nathan Chasing Horse: “Dances With Wolves” Actor Sentenced to Life in Prison

Nathan Chasing Horse, the actor best known for his role in the Oscar-winning film Dances With Wolves, has been sentenced to life in prison following his conviction on multiple counts of sexual assault against Indigenous women and girls. The case, which sent shockwaves through communities across the United States and Canada, marks the end of a years-long legal battle that exposed the alleged actions of a man many had trusted as a spiritual healer.

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Who Is Nathan Chasing Horse?

Nathan Chasing Horse was born on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, home to the Sicangu Sioux, one of the seven tribes of the Lakota nation. He rose to prominence at a young age when he was cast in Kevin Costner’s acclaimed 1990 film Dances With Wolves, portraying a young Sioux tribe member named Smiles a Lot.

Following his appearance in the Oscar-winning film, Chasing Horse traveled across Indian Country attending powwows and performing healing ceremonies, building a reputation as a respected figure in Indigenous communities throughout North America.

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The Charges Against Nathan Chasing Horse

Chasing Horse faced 21 charges in total, including sexual assault, sexual assault of a minor, first-degree kidnapping of a minor, and the use of a minor in producing pornography.

Investigators identified at least six sexual assault victims, some as young as 14 years old when the alleged abuse began, with allegations tracing back to the early 2000s across multiple states including Nevada, South Dakota, and Montana.

Prosecutors alleged that Chasing Horse led a cult known as The Circle, whose followers believed he possessed the ability to communicate with spirits. Many of his victims initially approached him seeking medical or spiritual help.

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The Arrest and Investigation

Chasing Horse was arrested in 2023 following a months-long investigation by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police. He was taken into custody as he left the North Las Vegas home he shared with his five wives. During the raid, police discovered memory cards containing videos of alleged sexual assaults, firearms, and controlled substances.

Investigators also learned that Chasing Horse had allegedly shown his wives a supply of pills he referred to as “suicide pills,” with instructions that they were to be taken — and law enforcement fired upon — in the event of his arrest.

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The Trial

The trial spanned three weeks, with jurors hearing testimony from three women who alleged Chasing Horse had sexually assaulted them. The primary accuser was 14 years old when, according to prosecutors, Chasing Horse told her that the spirits required her to give up her virginity in order to save her mother, who had been diagnosed with cancer. He allegedly warned her that her mother would die if she told anyone about the assaults.

The original indictment was dismissed in 2024 after the Nevada Supreme Court ruled that prosecutors had mishandled the grand jury process. However, the court left open the possibility of charges being refiled, and a new indictment followed later that year, this time including allegations that Chasing Horse had recorded some of the assaults.

The jury ultimately convicted Chasing Horse on 13 of the 21 charges, with the majority of guilty verdicts relating to his conduct toward the victim who was 14 when the abuse began. He was acquitted on some of the remaining counts.

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The Sentencing

A Nevada judge sentenced Nathan Chasing Horse to 37 years to life in prison. During the sentencing hearing, victims and their families addressed the court, describing ongoing trauma and a profound struggle with their faith after Chasing Horse exploited his position as a spiritual leader.

One victim told the court she could never reclaim the youth, innocence, and milestones that were stolen from her. Chasing Horse maintained his denial of all allegations throughout the proceedings. A post-conviction motion for a new trial was filed by his defense attorney and subsequently denied.

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Charges in Canada

The legal consequences for Chasing Horse extend beyond the United States. Canadian authorities charged him with sexual assault in British Columbia related to an alleged offense in 2018. An outstanding arrest warrant also remains active in Alberta, with provincial prosecutors monitoring the outcome of the U.S. case before determining next steps.

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Impact on Indigenous Communities

The case has reverberated deeply across Native American and First Nations communities throughout North America. Survivors and their families described how Chasing Horse weaponized sacred spiritual traditions to gain access to and control over vulnerable individuals.

For many in Indigenous communities, the verdict represents a significant step toward justice — not only for the individual survivors, but for the broader harm done to the cultural and spiritual institutions he exploited.