Nathan Chasing Horse sits in court in North Las Vegas, Nev., on Feb. 8, 2023. His sweeping 19-count indictment charges the “Dances with Wolves” actor with sexual assault, trafficking and child abuse. (AP Photo/Ty O’Neil, File)
“Dances With Wolves” actor Nathan Lee Chasing His Horse has been indicted in a sexual assault case dating back a decade, court documents show.
A grand jury in Clark County, Nevada, charged Chasing Horse with 19 counts, including open and gross lewdness, sexual assault, trafficking in a controlled substance and first-degree kidnapping of a minor, according to court documents.
He was arrested in January after a SWAT team swarmed his Las Vegas home he allegedly shares with his six wives.
The Native American actor and alleged cult leader is accused of sexually assaulting young girls for more than 20 years, the indictment said.
Authorities have said that an alleged victim told police the actor had sex with her dozens of times and “he would find ways to sneak me into closets.”
In his arrest report, Las Vegas police identified at least six alleged victims.
Police said Chasing Horse portrayed himself as a “Holy Man” or “Medicine Man” and “gained the trust of indigenous families and their children by using Native tradition, spiritual ceremony, and a historical belief system to bring together a sense of cultural identity that has otherwise been diluted by modern America.
“Upon earning this trust, Nathan Chasing Horse used his position to lure vulnerable young girls, often giving them a sense of belonging, to commit sexual assault; his spiritual power and influence inhibited their ability to discern cultural significance, tradition, and spiritual beliefs from tools and tactics utilized by a sexual perpetrator.”
Chasing Horse told his alleged victims that spirits wanted them to have sex with him. Once they did, they’d be part of “The Circle,” a suspected cult. Las Vegas investigators described “The Circle” as a cult that often practices unethical rituals, living standards, and beliefs.
Chasing Horse allegedly targeted girls from single-parent homes without father figures. He groomed them, abused them and gave them emergency contraceptive pills after having sex with them, according to his arrest report.
The victims also told investigators about “Phoenix Tears,” a high-concentrated dose of THC that he stored in his home and would give to patients, wives, or friends. When police searched his home, they found marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms, and cannabis extract.
Born on Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, Chasing Horse is known for his roles in “Into the West,” “DreamKeeper” and “The Red Man’s View.”
Investigators believe there are more alleged victims and encourage them to come forward and make a report. Las Vegas detectives can be reached at 702-828-3111.
Law&Crime’s Vanessa Bein contributed to this report.
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