Nathan Chasing Horse, the actor best known for his role as “Smiles a Lot” in the Oscar-winning film Dances with Wolves, has been sentenced to life in prison by a Nevada court. The sentence follows a jury’s conviction on 13 criminal charges related to the systemic sexual assault of Indigenous women and girls.
Over a nearly two-decade period, Chasing Horse exploited his status as a prominent Lakota spiritual leader and healer to manipulate vulnerable victims, a pattern of abuse that prosecutors described as a “web of abuse” that trapped numerous women across Indigenous territories.
During an emotional sentencing hearing, victims and their families spoke to Judge Jessica Peterson about the lasting trauma inflicted by the 49-year-old. Corena Leone-LaCroix, who was only 14 at the time of the abuse, delivered a heartbreaking statement recounting how the assault stole milestones from her youth, including her graduation and coming-of-age experiences.
While the Associated Press typically does not name victims of sexual assault, the agency noted that Leone-LaCroix chose to speak publicly, allowing her identity to be shared as she sought closure for the years of abuse she endured.
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Chasing Horse, who appeared in court wearing a navy blue detention uniform, remained stoic throughout the victim impact statements. Despite the overwhelming evidence presented during the trial, he continued to maintain his innocence, characterizing the conviction as an “injustice.” Judge Peterson rejected his denial, noting that the defendant had manipulated the victims’ faith and trust for his own personal satisfaction.
Under the terms of the sentencing, Chasing Horse will be eligible for parole after serving 37 years of his life sentence.
This conviction marks the conclusion of a complex, multi-year effort to bring the former actor to justice. The legal consequences for Chasing Horse extend far beyond Nevada, with criminal charges and warrants still pending in other jurisdictions, including the Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Alberta. Authorities in those regions are currently reviewing the status of these additional cases following the Nevada verdict.
Prosecutors successfully argued that Chasing Horse leveraged the reputation he gained from his breakout role in Kevin Costner’s 1990 film to travel across Indigenous communities for ceremonies while secretly targeting women for abuse.
By claiming that spiritual forces or the health of family members depended on the victims’ compliance, he effectively silenced those he assaulted, ending a long-running campaign of exploitation that has deeply impacted Indigenous communities across North America.
