Nathan Chasing Horse, the actor who appeared in Kevin Costner's Oscar-winning film, will spend the rest of his life in prison after a Nevada jury found him guilty of sexually assaulting Indigenous women and girls over nearly two decades.
A Clark County judge handed down the life sentence Monday. Chasing Horse had been convicted on 13 charges, most involving sexual assault. Three women brought accusations against him, one of whom was only 14 when the abuse began. He was acquitted on some counts.
Prosecutors had argued that Chasing Horse weaponized his fame and his status as a Lakota medicine man to manipulate victims into sexual encounters. During the January trial, deputy district attorney Bianca Pucci told jurors that for almost 20 years, he "spun a web of abuse" that ensnared multiple women across Indian Country.
One victim, Corena Leone-LaCroix, was 14 in 2012 when Chasing Horse allegedly told her the spirits demanded she give up her virginity to save her cancer-stricken mother. He then sexually assaulted her repeatedly and threatened that her mother would die if she told anyone. The assaults continued for years. Leone-LaCroix, who has publicly identified herself, later suffered complications from an ectopic pregnancy resulting from one of the assaults and required surgery.
During sentencing Monday, victims and their families described the lasting spiritual and psychological damage inflicted by Chasing Horse's betrayal of sacred traditions. "Even to this day I struggle to regain my faith and spirituality," one victim's mother testified. Another victim declared, "I am choosing to see this moment as a fresh start. I will rebuild my life, reclaim my voice and continue fighting for the future I deserve."
Chasing Horse, born on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, gained prominence after playing the young Sioux warrior Smiles a Lot in Dances With Wolves. He leveraged that celebrity and his reputation as a healer to travel across Indian Country performing ceremonies and attracting vulnerable victims who sought his spiritual guidance or medical help.
In court Monday, Chasing Horse maintained his innocence while staring straight ahead in his detention center uniform. "This is a miscarriage of justice," he told the judge. His attorney had filed a motion for a new trial, claiming the statute of limitations had expired and questioning the credibility of the main accuser, calling her a "scorned woman." The motion was denied.
The Nevada conviction opens the door to additional prosecutions. Authorities in Canada and Alberta have charges pending against Chasing Horse. British Columbia prosecutors charged him in February 2023 with sexual assault related to an alleged offense from September 2018 near Keremeos, a village about four hours east of Vancouver. That case was paused during his U.S. prosecution but resumed afterward. Alberta's Tsuut'ina Nation police service maintains an outstanding warrant against him.
Dr. Crystal Lee, CEO of United Natives, an organization serving sexual abuse victims, said the case underscores the danger posed by high-profile figures who exploit positions of trust. "I think it makes us question who we trust and why we trust," Lee said. She emphasized the importance of holding perpetrators accountable and believing victims, noting that Chasing Horse's pattern mirrors that of other faith leaders who abuse their authority.
Author James Rodriguez: "This conviction sends a crucial message to Indian Country that no amount of fame or spiritual prestige will shield predators from accountability."
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