Nathan Chasing Horse, the "Dances With Wolves" actor convicted of sexually assaulting Indigenous women and girls, was sentenced by a Nevada judge to 37 years to life in prison.
The sentence, handed down by Judge Jessica Peterson and reported by KTNV, requires the 49-year-old to serve a minimum of 25 years before becoming eligible for parole.
Chasing Horse received credit for the 1,184 days he has spent in custody since his 2023 arrest.
The decision follows an 11-day trial in January, in which a Las Vegas jury convicted Chasing Horse on 13 of 21 counts.
According to KTNV, the specific convictions included 10 counts of sexual assault of a minor under 16, one count of sexual assault, one count of open or gross lewdness, and one count of possessing visual depictions of the sexual conduct of a child.
During the hearing, Chasing Horse maintained his innocence and characterized the legal proceedings as a "miscarriage of justice," according to footage posted by KTNV.
Prosecutors successfully argued that Chasing Horse leveraged his status as a self-described "Medicine Man" or "Holy Person" within Native American communities to facilitate his crimes, People reported.
Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson stated that the outcome "sends a clear message that exploitation and abuse will not be tolerated, regardless of the defendant's public persona or claims of spiritual authority."
Chief Deputy District Attorney William Rowles noted the historical difficulty victims faced in seeking accountability, stating, "For decades, victims of Nathan Chasing Horse came forward and they were ignored. I hope this verdict gives them some peace."
The investigation into Chasing Horse began after a tip in October 2022, leading to a 2023 search warrant and his subsequent arrest at his residence.
While some allegations spanned years, the case extended beyond Nevada.
The Tsuut'ina Nation Police Service in Alberta, Canada, where an active warrant for Chasing Horse remains in connection with a separate matter, praised survivors who testified. The agency described the conviction as "a significant step toward justice for the survivors."
The Clark County District Attorney's Office confirmed that the actor's convictions were directly tied to the misuse of his leadership role.
The Associated Press reported that the 11-day trial relied on testimony from several victims, highlighting how long the abuse lasted and how many people were affected.
Although this sentence addresses the Nevada charges, Chasing Horse has also faced legal accusations in multiple other states and Canada.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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