A Las Vegas courtroom delivered a decisive verdict this week in the criminal case against former film actor Nathan Chasing Horse, finding him guilty on numerous sexual assault charges tied to Native American women and girls.
According to ABC News, the 49-year-old, known to many for playing Smiles a Lot in Dances with Wolves, was convicted on 13 of the 21 counts he faced. Jurors spent days weighing testimony from multiple women before concluding that several of the allegations met the legal standard for conviction.
Much of the case centered on one accuser who said the abuse began when she was 14. Prosecutors told the jury that Chasing Horse used his standing in spiritual and cultural circles to gain influence over her life. According to the state, he framed sexual acts as spiritually necessary and warned that speaking out would bring harm to her family.
During closing arguments earlier in the week, Deputy District Attorney Bianca Pucci described what she said was a long-running pattern. For nearly two decades, she argued, he “spun a web of abuse” that trapped vulnerable young women.
When the verdict was read, Chasing Horse reportedly stood still without reacting. Outside the courtroom, supporters of the victims hugged and cried, some wearing yellow ribbons in solidarity. The main accuser declined to make a public statement.
Clark County Chief Deputy District Attorney William Rowles thanked the women who testified despite the emotional toll. “I just hope that the people who came forward over the years and made complaints against Nathan Chasing Horse can find some peace in this,” he said after the decision.
The defense pushed back hard at trial. Attorney Craig Mueller said he plans to seek a new trial, telling reporters he was “confused and disappointed” and maintained that he had “meaningful doubts about the sincerity of the accusations.”
Chasing Horse now faces a minimum of 25 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for March 11.
But his legal troubles may not end there. Authorities in other jurisdictions, including Canada, have indicated additional sex-crime cases could move forward once the Nevada proceedings and any appeals are finished.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE or visit rainn.org for confidential support. To report child abuse or exploitation, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 800-4-A-CHILD.