Former actor Nathan Chasing Horse, known for his role in the movie 'Dances with Wolves,' is set to face trial in Las Vegas on charges of sexually abusing Indigenous women and girls. The trial is scheduled to begin on Jan. 13 in Clark County District Court, where Chasing Horse pleaded not guilty to 21 felonies, including sexual assault, kidnapping, and producing and possessing videos of child sexual abuse.
Prosecutors were able to move forward with the case after Chasing Horse was re-indicted following a Nevada Supreme Court decision that dismissed the original indictment. The court's order allowed for the charges to be refiled, leading to another grand jury indictment.
The high court's decision highlighted concerns about the grand jury process, specifically the use of a definition of grooming as evidence without expert testimony. However, the justices clarified that their ruling did not determine Chasing Horse's guilt or innocence, emphasizing the seriousness of the allegations against him.
Chasing Horse, a member of the Sicangu Sioux tribe from the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, gained fame for his role in 'Dances with Wolves' before presenting himself as a Lakota medicine man. Prosecutors allege that he exploited his position to target vulnerable women and girls for decades until his arrest near Las Vegas earlier this year.
His arrest had broader implications across Indian Country, leading to additional charges in the U.S. and Canada. Authorities in Montana cited Chasing Horse's arrest as corroborating existing allegations on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, where he had been banished in 2015 over accusations of human trafficking.
The latest indictment in Las Vegas includes new allegations that Chasing Horse filmed himself engaging in sexual acts with an underage girl. Prosecutors claim that the footage, discovered on cellphones in a safe at Chasing Horse's residence, dates back to 2010 or 2011 when the girl was younger than 14.
Chasing Horse has been in custody since his arrest and is facing a range of serious charges that have drawn attention to issues of exploitation and abuse within Indigenous communities. The upcoming trial will be a significant milestone in the legal proceedings against him.
