Dances With Wolves Actor to Be Sentenced in Nevada After Sexual Abuse Conviction
Nathan Chasing Horse, the actor renowned for his portrayal of Smiles a Lot in the Oscar-winning film Dances With Wolves, is scheduled to be sentenced next Wednesday following his conviction for sexually abusing Indigenous women and girls. This case has profoundly impacted Native American communities across the United States, drawing widespread attention and concluding a years-long prosecution effort that began in 2023.
Conviction Details and Sentencing Prospects
The sentencing comes approximately one month after a Nevada jury found Chasing Horse guilty on 13 of the 21 charges brought against him. Many of these convictions stem from allegations involving a victim who was just 14 years old when the abuse allegedly commenced. The jury acquitted him of several other sexual assault counts, but he has consistently denied all accusations. If sentenced to the minimum penalty, Chasing Horse faces at least 25 years in prison, marking a significant legal repercussion for his actions.
Background and Allegations
Born on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, Chasing Horse traveled extensively throughout Indian Country after his film role, attending powwows and conducting healing ceremonies. Several victims reported participating in these ceremonies or seeking medical assistance from him, leading to the central accusation in this case. According to deputy district attorney Bianca Pucci, the primary accuser stated she was 14 in 2012 when Chasing Horse allegedly claimed that spirits required her to give up her virginity to save her mother, who had cancer. He then assaulted her and warned that if she disclosed the abuse, her mother would die, with the abuse reportedly continuing for years afterward.
Legal Challenges and Broader Implications
Following the verdict, Chasing Horse's attorney, Mueller, requested a new trial, arguing that a witness who testified about grooming lacked proper qualifications and that the legal time limit for prosecution had expired. However, the judge rejected this request. The case has sparked additional criminal allegations in other jurisdictions, including charges of sexual assault in British Columbia related to an incident alleged to have occurred in September 2018 near Keremeos. Proceedings there were paused in November 2023 but resumed the following year, with prosecutors set to determine how to proceed once all appeals in the U.S. case are concluded.
Community Impact and Historical Context
This conviction highlights broader issues within Indigenous communities, where research from the National Institute of Justice indicates that more than four out of five American Indian and Alaska Native women have experienced violence, with over half being victims of sexual violence. In 2015, leaders of the Fort Peck tribe in Montana banned Chasing Horse from performing ceremonies on their reservation following allegations of human trafficking, drug dealing, spiritual manipulation, and intimidation. He has also been banned from the Tsuut'ina Nation in Alberta, where a warrant has been issued for his arrest on multiple charges of sexual exploitation and assault.
The sentencing next Wednesday marks a pivotal moment in this high-profile case, underscoring the ongoing efforts to address sexual abuse and support victims in Indigenous communities across North America.
