LAS VEGAS — An actor known for his role in the 1990 film “Dances With Wolves” is accused of sexually assaulting minors, authorities said.
Nathan Chasing Horse, 46, who played Smiles A Lot in the Oscar-winning film, was arrested on Tuesday in Las Vegas, KLAS-TV reported. He was charged with two counts of sexual assault, sexual assault of a child less than 16 years old, two counts of sex trafficking of an adult and child abuse/neglect.
Police arrested Chasing Horse -- previously known as Nathan Lee Chasing His Horse -- at his North Las Vegas home, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said in a tweet.
➡️Sexual assault of a child less than 16 years old
— LVMPD (@LVMPD) February 1, 2023
➡️Sexual assault (2 counts)
➡️Sex trafficking of an adult (2 counts)
➡️Child abuse/neglect
This is an ongoing investigation.
Event Number: LLV221200062648
Chasing Horse was born in Rosebud Reservation, S.D., according to IMDb. He played a young Sioux in “Dances With Wolves,” the film starring Kevin Costner that won seven Academy Awards, including best picture. The film was nominated for 12 Oscars; Costner, while not winning the best actor award, received an Academy Award as best director.
Chasing Horse also appeared in several television movies, according to The Washington Post.
Police said that Chasing Horse performed healing ceremonies and spiritual gatherings as a reputed medicine man in the U.S. and Canada, The Associated Press reported. Authorities alleged that Chasing Horse used his position to abuse young indigenous girls.
According to a 50-page search warrant obtained by the news organization, Chasing Horse is believed to be the leader of a cult known as The Circle.
The warrant alleges that Las Vegas police have identified at least six victims and revealed allegations against Chasing Horse dating to the early 2000s in several states, including Montana, South Dakota and Nevada.
“Nathan Chasing Horse used spiritual traditions and their belief system as a tool to sexually assault young girls on numerous occasions,” the warrant states, the AP reported.
There was no lawyer listed in court records for Chasing Horse who could comment, according to the AP. He is due to make his first court appearance in North Las Vegas Justice Court Thursday morning, KLAS reported.
If convicted of the charges, Chasing Horse faces life in prison on the sexual assault charges and up to 20 years in prison on the sex trafficking charges, the Post reported.
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