Jury Convicts Nathan Chasing Horse On 13 Sexual Assault Counts
Nevada jury found Nathan Chasing Horse guilty on 13 of 21 counts; sentencing is scheduled for March 11, 2026.
Overview
A Nevada jury on Jan. 23, 2026, convicted Nathan Chasing Horse on 13 of 21 counts of sexual assault against Indigenous women and girls in Las Vegas, according to court records.
Prosecutors said most guilty verdicts involved a victim who was 14 in 2012 and that Chasing Horse used his reputation as a Lakota medicine man to prey on women, while the defense disputed those allegations and questioned witness credibility.
Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said in a statement he hopes the women who came forward can find peace, and defense attorney Craig Mueller said he will file a motion for a new trial, court records show.
Chasing Horse, 49, faces a mandatory minimum of 25 years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 11, 2026, after an 11-day trial that included testimony from three accusers, prosecutors said.
British Columbia prosecutors said they will assess next steps in a separate sex-crimes case after U.S. sentencing and any appeals conclude, and the defense plans post-verdict motions, officials confirmed.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story through word choice, source selection, and structure, centering victim accountability and cultural betrayal. They highlight Chasing Horse’s celebrity and alleged misuse of spiritual authority, foreground the guilty verdict and victims’ reactions, contextualize 'an epidemic of violence' against Native women, and give shorter space to defense skepticism.
Sources (3)
FAQ
Nathan Chasing Horse, born April 28, 1976, is a Sicangu Lakota actor best known for portraying Smiles A Lot in the 1990 film 'Dances with Wolves'. He has also claimed to be a Lakota medicine man.
History
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