Nathan Chasing Horse was sentenced to life in prison on Monday by Judge Jessica Peterson for sexually assaulting Indigenous women and girls, after a jury, according to court records, convicted him of 13 charges, mostly related to sexual assault. The case involved testimony from three accusers, including one who was 14 when the abuse began, according to prosecutors.
Chasing Horse, a former actor and Lakota medicine man, was accused by three women, including one who was 14 years old when the assaults began, according to prosecutors. During the multi-week trial, Nevada prosecutors argued he used his reputation as a medicine man to prey on Indigenous women and girls, with offenses occurring in multiple states over nearly two decades. According to trial testimony, the three women said the abuse spanned nearly two decades, often occurring during purported healing ceremonies. Deputy District Attorney Bianca Pucci told the jury that for almost 20 years, Chasing Horse 'spun a web of abuse' that ensnared many women. Jurors heard from all three accusers and returned guilty verdicts on some charges related to each of them, prosecutors said.
spun a web of abuse
Chasing Horse was acquitted on some charges, according to court records, and through his attorney, he denied the allegations.
Before sentencing, Judge Jessica Peterson heard emotional victim impact statements from the three women and their families, who spoke of deep and lasting trauma. They described years of depression, anxiety, and broken trust, telling the court that the abuse had irrevocably harmed their lives. One survivor described ongoing panic attacks and sleeplessness.
Chasing Horse also faces legal troubles in Canada, where two provinces have outstanding matters, according to Canadian authorities. In British Columbia, he was charged in February 2023 with sexual assault for an incident that allegedly occurred near Keremeos in September 2018, according to the British Columbia Prosecution Service. The case was put on hold pending the U.S. trial but resumed in 2024, the B.C. prosecution service said. Damienne Darby of the BC Prosecution Service said the next steps will be determined after Chasing Horse exhausts his appeals in the U.S. In Alberta, a warrant remains active from the Tsuut'ina Nation Police Service, which is liaising with provincial prosecutors, according to police. Details of the Alberta allegation have not been disclosed, officials said. It remains unclear whether and when Chasing Horse might be extradited to Canada.