Actor Nathan Chasing Horse sentenced to life in prison in Nevada for sexual assault

Key Points:

• Nathan Chasing Horse, known for his role in "Dances With Wolves," was sentenced to life in prison by a Nevada judge after being convicted on 13 charges related to sexually assaulting Indigenous women and girls, including one victim who was 14 at the time.
• The victims and their families testified about ongoing trauma and loss of faith caused by Chasing Horse, who exploited his position as a spiritual leader and Lakota medicine man to manipulate and abuse them over nearly two decades.
• Chasing Horse denied the charges, calling the verdict a "miscarriage of justice," and his defense's motion for a new trial was denied; meanwhile, additional sexual assault charges against him remain pending in Canada and Alberta.
• Prosecutors highlighted how Chasing Horse used his celebrity and spiritual status to gain victims' trust, with one victim describing being coerced into giving up her virginity to save her sick mother, illustrating the manipulation involved.
• Advocacy groups emphasize the importance of holding high-profile perpetrators accountable and supporting victims, noting that cases like Chasing Horse's challenge communities to reconsider trust in leaders who abuse their power.