‘dances With Wolves’ Actor To Be Sentenced For Sexually Assaulting Indigenous Women And Girls

Nathan Chasing Horse was expected to beryllium sentenced Wednesday greeting for sexually assaulting Indigenous women and girls, drafting to a adjacent a lawsuit that sent daze waves done Indian Country.

The sentencing of nan “Dances With Wolves” character comes astir a period aft a Nevada assemblage convicted him connected 13 of nan 21 charges he faced. Most related to his behaviour pinch a unfortunate who was 14 erstwhile he began assaulting her. Chasing Horse was acquitted of immoderate intersexual battle charges.

He faces a minimum of 25 years successful prison.

Following nan trial, Chasing Horse’s lawyer Craig Mueller revenge a mobility for a caller trial, arguing a witnesser was not qualified to talk astir grooming and that nan statute of limitations had expired. That mobility was denied.

The sentencing wraps a yearslong effort to prosecute nan erstwhile character aft he was first arrested and indicted successful 2023. That first apprehension reverberated astir Indian Country, pinch rule enforcement successful different states and Canada pursuing up pinch much criminal charges.

The British Columbia Prosecution Service said Chasing Horse was charged pinch intersexual battle successful February 2023, though nan day of nan alleged discourtesy took spot successful September 2018 adjacent Keremeos, a colony astir 4 hours eastbound of Vancouver. In November 2023, nan lawsuit paused owed to Chasing Horse’s charges successful nan United States, but resumed nan pursuing year.

After each of Chasing Horse’s appeals person been exhausted, British Columbia prosecutors will measure adjacent steps, Damienne Darby, communications counsel for nan British Columbia Prosecution Service, said successful an email Tuesday.

The Tsuut’ina Nation Police Service successful Alberta said successful a connection pursuing Chasing Horse’s condemnation that a warrant remains outstanding against him and said that it is successful interaction pinch nan Alberta Crown Prosecutors Office regarding nan warrant.

Nevada prosecutors said Chasing Horse utilized his estimation arsenic a Lakota medicine man to prey connected Indigenous women and girls.

Deputy District Attorney Bianca Pucci told nan assemblage that for almost 20 years, Chasing Horse “spun a web of abuse” that ensnared galore women.

Jurors heard from 3 women who said Chasing Horse sexually assaulted them. The assemblage returned blameworthy verdicts connected immoderate charges related to each three.

Following his quality arsenic Smiles a Lot successful Kevin Costner’s Oscar-winning movie “Dances With Wolves,” Chasing Horse, calved connected nan Rosebud Reservation successful South Dakota, traveled crossed Indian Country to be powwows and execute treatment ceremonies.

Multiple victims described really they participated successful his ceremonies aliases went to Chasing Horse for aesculapian help.

The main accuser was 14 successful 2012 erstwhile Chasing Horse allegedly told her nan spirits wanted her to springiness up her virginity to prevention her mother, who was diagnosed pinch cancer. He past sexually assaulted her and told her that if she told anyone, her mother would die, according to Pucci. The intersexual assaults continued for years, Pucci said.

He denied nan allegations and his lawyer questioned nan main accuser’s credibility, calling her a “scorned woman.”