'Dances With Wolves' Actor Nathan Chasing Horse Has Been Sentenced to Life in Prison

Content warning: This article mentions allegations of sexual assault.

Many people remember Nathan Chasing Horse for his beloved role in the film Dances With Wolves. However, the former actor is making headlines for entirely different reasons as of late. Chasing Horse has been sentenced to life in prison for multiple sexual crimes spanning three different states — Montana, South Dakota, and Nevada. The latter is where he was finally arrested, following a SWAT raid of his home.

Las Vegas's Judge Jessica Peterson sentenced Chasing Horse on April 27, 2026, after his initial arrest in 2023. Convicted of 13 charges, which include sexual assault with a minor, s-x trafficking, and child abuse, the 50-year-old will be eligible for parole in 2063.

Aside from being an actor, Chasing Horse was known as a Lakota medicine man — a status which he used to abuse Indigenous girls for decades. For example, when a 14-year-old girl came to Chasing Horse on behalf of her mother, who had cancer, the "medicine man" told her that if she gave up her virginity, the spirits would cure her mother.

After sexually assaulting the young girl, Chasing Horse threatened that if she told anyone, her mother would die.

Those types of abuse of power continued for years, as Chasing Horse victimized at least three women, who came forward in this case. As Judge Peterson put it, per AP News, she told Chasing Horse, "You preyed on these women’s trusts and their spirituality, and you manipulated them for your own personal gratification."

Chasing Horse insists he is innocent and called the sentencing a "miscarriage of justice." Interestingly, one of his arguments was that the statute of limitations on one of the claims had expired.

Chasing Horse's defense also used an ill-advised strategy of insulting one of the victims by calling her a "scorned woman."

Prior to being known as an abuser, Chasing Horse first entered the limelight as an actor, best known for Dances With Wolves. The Kevin Costner-led film centers around a Civil War lieutenant's interactions with a Sioux tribe. Chasing Horse played Smiles a Lot, a young member of the tribe whom the protagonist, Dunbar, befriends.

Following Dances With Wolves' success, Chasing Horse went on to star in The Broken Chain, Dreamkeeper, Into the West, and Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee. His last acting role was in 2007.

Sadly, prior to the public learning about Chasing Horse's crimes, he was seen as a positive representative of Lakota culture within Hollywood. The former actor was often booked for public speaking engagements to educate people about his culture and was respected among his peers.

Undoubtedly, that positive reputation as someone who should be looked up to is part of what he used to victimize young girls.