In a 4–3 decision, the Nevada Supreme Court has decided to review a request from actor Nathan Lee Chasing His Horse, also known as Nathan Chasing Horse, to dismiss an 18-count indictment against him which includes allegations of abusing Indigenous women and girls and running a cult.
A panel of three justices had originally denied to hear his appeal in January after the court upheld the case against him in December.
The 46-year-old actor was arrested in January 2023 following a months-long investigation and has remained in custody on a $300,000 bond in Clark County, Nevada, throughout the legal process. Initially, a state grand jury handed down a 19-count indictment, but in April 2023, a judge dismissed a drug trafficking charge.
Mr. Chasing Horse, best known for his role as Smiles a Lot in the 1990 film “Dances With Wolves,” pleaded not guilty to sexual abuse and first-degree kidnapping in the state of Nevada.
The investigation was prompted by a tip from Canadian authorities regarding Mr. Chasing Horse’s alleged involvement in a 2018 rape case in British Columbia. Authorities in Las Vegas claim that Mr. Chasing Horse’s alleged criminal activities in Nevada occurred over a span of 10 years, with court documents pointing to a pattern of sexual abuse dating back to the early 2000s across several states, including Montana and South Dakota, The Associated Press reported.
According to those court documents, at least six victims have been identified.
Several Jurisdictions
Mr. Chasing Horse is facing state and federal charges in Nevada, as well as charges in British Columbia, Canada, and the Fort Peck Reservation in Montana.In Alberta, Canada, the Tsuut'ina Nation Police Service issued a press release in February 2023, announcing it was working closely with the Las Vegas Police Department.
“There is no statute of limitations on criminal sexual offenses in Canada,” the Tsuut'ina Nation police said.
Investigators in Nevada say Mr. Chasing Horse was the leader of a cult called The Circle and that he lived with as many as five women, whom he describes as his wives. According to the police, he described himself as a medicine man and used his position in the community to groom young girls.
He hails from the Sicangu Sioux, a tribe of the Lakota Nation that lives on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in southern South Dakota.
During a search of Mr. Chasing Horse’s North Las Vegas home, police said they uncovered a trove of evidence including firearms, psychedelic mushrooms, 41 pounds of marijuana, and two cellphones containing videos of underage girls being sexually abused, The Associated Press reported.
In February 2023, advocates from the Native American community gathered in Las Vegas to support the alleged victims of Mr. Chasing Horse.
“The more people that come forward, the more that we take it upon ourselves to speak up because we know it’s the right thing to do,” Ms. Renville said. “We’re hoping that it encourages other people to speak up as well.”
The court did not set a date for additional hearings or a timeline for when it will issue a decision.
The Epoch Times contacted the Clark County District Attorney’s office, the attorney representing Mr. Chasing Horse, and MMIWUSA for comment, but did not receive a response by press time.
