LAS VEGAS — Nathan Chasing Horse, a former actor known for his role in “Dances with Wolves,” is scheduled to go to trial in early 2024 in Las Vegas over allegations of sexual abuse against Indigenous women and girls. This marks a pivotal turn in a lengthy legal process that has seen significant delays due to Chasing Horse’s legal challenges.
According to court documents, Chasing Horse’s trial is set to begin on January 13 in Clark County District Court. He entered a not guilty plea on Wednesday to a total of 21 felony charges, which include sexual assault, kidnapping, and the production and possession of child sexual abuse materials, as reported by local news station KLAS-TV.
Chasing Horse’s path to trial has been cleared after a grand jury in Nevada indicted him again last month, following a Supreme Court ruling that found flaws in the earlier indictment. The Supreme Court criticized the prosecutors for how they used evidence during the grand jury process, particularly when defining the concept of grooming without the support of expert testimony. However, the justices emphasized that their ruling did not speak to Chasing Horse’s guilt or innocence, acknowledging the seriousness of the charges against him.
Chasing Horse gained fame for his portrayal of the character Smiles A Lot in the acclaimed film from 1990. He hails from the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, home to the Sicangu Sioux, part of the Lakota nation. Following the success of “Dances with Wolves,” he reportedly began to promote himself as a “Lakota medicine man,” conducting healing ceremonies throughout North America.
Prosecutors allege that Chasing Horse exploited his position and authority for years, targeting vulnerable women and girls until his arrest in January near Las Vegas, where he has remained incarcerated since. His arrest had far-reaching consequences, as it triggered investigations and additional criminal charges across both the United States and Canada. Law enforcement in Montana has stated that his arrest supported long-held allegations against him on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, where he was banished by tribal leaders in 2015 amid accusations of human trafficking.
Recently, new charges were added to his indictment in Las Vegas, including claims that he filmed sexual acts with one of his accusers when she was under 14 years old. Prosecutors report that this evidence, captured around 2010 or 2011, was discovered on cellphones stored in a locked safe at a North Las Vegas residence that Chasing Horse reportedly shared with five wives, one of whom is the minor featured in the videos.
