‘Dances With Wolves’ actor Nathan Chasing Horse sentenced to life in
prison for sexual assault
[April 28, 2026]
By JESSICA HILL
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A Nevada judge sentenced “Dances With Wolves” actor
Nathan Chasing Horse on Monday to life in prison for sexually assaulting
Indigenous women and girls.
A jury had previously convicted him of 13 charges, mostly related to
sexual assault of three women.
Accusers and their families told Judge Jessica Peterson they continue to
suffer from the trauma caused by Chasing Horse, 49, and struggle with
their faith after he exploited his position as a spiritual leader.
“There is no way to get back the youth, the childhood loss, my first
time, my first kiss, the graduation I never got to have,” said Corena
Leone-LaCroix, who was 14 when Chasing Horse assaulted her. “The life
that little girl could have lived has been taken from me forever.”
The Associated Press typically does not use the name of alleged sexual
assault victims unless they come forward publicly, as Leone-LaCroix has.
Chasing Horse, wearing his navy blue Clark County Detention Center
uniform, stared straight ahead as victims read their statements and
remained quiet as he was escorted out of the courtroom. He’ll be
eligible for parole after serving for 37 years, and has continued to
deny the charges against him.
“This is a miscarriage of justice,” he told the judge on Monday.
Peterson said she was struck by his continued denial of the charges
despite the evidence shown in trial.
“You preyed on these women’s trusts and their spirituality, and you
manipulated them for your own personal gratification," she said before
she announced his sentence. When the hearing adjourned, more than a
dozen people in the courtroom clapped.
Other charges in Canada are still pending
The sentencing wraps a yearslong effort to prosecute the former actor
after he was first arrested and indicted in 2023. That initial arrest
reverberated around Indian Country, with law enforcement in other states
and Canada following up with more criminal charges. Those charges are
still pending.
The British Columbia Prosecution Service said Chasing Horse was charged
with sexual assault in February 2023, though the date of the alleged
offense took place in September 2018 near Keremeos, a village about four
hours east of Vancouver. In November 2023, the case paused due to
Chasing Horse’s charges in the United States, but resumed the following
year.
After all of Chasing Horse’s appeals have been exhausted, British
Columbia prosecutors will assess next steps, Damienne Darby,
communications counsel for the British Columbia Prosecution Service,
said in an email.
A warrant against Chasing Horse remains outstanding in Alberta, the
Tsuut’ina Nation Police Service in Alberta said in a statement following
Chasing Horse’s conviction in January. The Tsuut’ina Nation Police
Service said that it is in contact with the Alberta Crown Prosecutors
Office regarding the warrant.
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Nathan Chasing Horse, right, talks to his attorney Craig Mueller
during his trial on charges of sexually abusing Indigenous women and
girls, Jan. 13, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil, file)
 January trial focused on his role
as spiritual leader
Chasing Horse was born on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota,
which is home to the Sicangu Sioux, one of the seven tribes of the
Lakota nation. Following his appearance as the young Sioux tribe
member Smiles a Lot in Kevin Costner’s Oscar-winning film “Dances
With Wolves,” Chasing Horse traveled across Indian Country to attend
powwows and perform healing ceremonies.
During his trial, Nevada prosecutors said Chasing Horse used his
reputation as a Lakota medicine man to prey on Indigenous women and
girls.
Deputy District Attorney Bianca Pucci told the jury that for almost
20 years, Chasing Horse “spun a web of abuse” that ensnared many
women.
Jurors heard from three women who said Chasing Horse sexually
assaulted them. The jury returned guilty verdicts on some charges.
He was acquitted on others.
Needing medical help
Multiple victims described how they participated in his ceremonies
or went to Chasing Horse for medical help.
Chasing Horse allegedly told Leone-LaCroix when she was 14 that the
spirits wanted her to give up her virginity to save her mother, who
was diagnosed with cancer. He then sexually assaulted her and told
her that if she told anyone, her mother would die, according to
Pucci. The sexual assaults continued for years, Pucci said.
Chasing Horse denied the allegations and his attorney questioned the
main accuser’s credibility, calling her a “scorned woman.” His
attorney had filed a motion for a new trial, arguing that a witness
was not qualified to talk about grooming and that the statute of
limitations had expired. That motion was denied.
Victims and their family members testified that they struggle with
their faith as a result of Chasing Horse’s actions. The mothers of
the victims said Chasing Horse betrayed their trust and abused
sacred traditions.
“Even to this day I struggle to regain my faith and spirituality,”
said Lynnette Adams, the mother of Siera Begaye, one of the other
victims.
The AP typically does not use the name of alleged sexual assault
victims unless they come forward publicly or approved the use of
their names, as Begaye has.
Begaye said she still faces complications after suffering an ectopic
pregnancy as a result of the assault and being forced to undergo
surgery.
“I am choosing to see this moment as a fresh start," Begaye said. "I
will rebuild my life, reclaim my voice and continue fighting for the
future I deserve."
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