Prosecutors allege Nathan Chasing Horse used his reputation as a Lakota medicine man to sexually assault two Indigenous women, one of whom was 14 at the time. Chasing Horse, known for Dances With Wolves, has pleaded not guilty to 21 counts. The original 2023 indictment was dismissed in 2024 over grand jury errors; charges were later refiled. Prosecutors say they will present video evidence and witness testimony; the defense says there is no DNA or eyewitness proof.
‘Dances With Wolves’ Actor on Trial: Prosecutors Allege He Used Medicine‑Man Status to Exploit Indigenous Women
Nathan Chasing Horse, center, walks back into the courtroom after a break in his trial on charges of sexually abusing Indigenous women and girls Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, in Las Vegas. / Credit: John Locher / AP(John Locher / AP)
Prosecutors in Las Vegas say former actor Nathan Chasing Horse used his reputation as a Lakota medicine man to prey on Indigenous women and girls, allegations his defense calls false. Chasing Horse, best known for playing "Smiles A Lot" in the 1990 film Dances With Wolves, has pleaded not guilty to 21 counts, including sexual assault and sexual assault of a minor.
Trial Background
The current trial follows Chasing Horse’s initial arrest and indictment in 2023. That first indictment was dismissed in 2024 after the Nevada Supreme Court ruled prosecutors had improperly guided the grand jury by providing a definition of "grooming" without expert testimony. The court allowed prosecutors to refile, and a new indictment was returned later in 2024.
Prosecutors’ Allegations
Prosecutors allege two victims were sexually assaulted — one when she was 14 and another when she was 19. They say Chasing Horse leveraged his role in ceremonies and his standing as a medicine man to gain influence and silence victims. According to the prosecution, in 2012 he told the 14‑year‑old that the spirits required her to surrender her virginity to save her mother from cancer, then assaulted her and threatened that her mother would die if she told anyone.
"She wanted to appease the spirits," Clark County Deputy District Attorney Bianca Pucci told jurors, describing the younger accuser.
Prosecutors presented photographs showing Chasing Horse with the younger girl, who they say met him at age six and served as a pipe girl in Lakota ceremonies. They allege he had her get spider tattoos and used threats to keep her silent, describing the alleged dynamic as having the victim "stuck in his web."
Defense Position
Defense attorney Craig Mueller told jurors during opening statements that the prosecution will present no physical evidence tying Chasing Horse to the assaults — no DNA and no eyewitness testimony — and urged jurors to view the allegations skeptically. Mueller highlighted family photos and public ceremony images to portray Chasing Horse as a respected figure and family man, and characterized one accuser as a disgruntled former partner.
Additional Accusations and Evidence
Prosecutors said they will show a video and call additional witnesses, including a second accuser who says she was assaulted at age 19 and who had known Chasing Horse since childhood. Separately, Janessa Lambert has told reporters she was sexually assaulted in British Columbia in 2018 and that she reported the incident to police in 2022.
Context
Chasing Horse was born on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, home to the Sicangu (Rosebud) Sioux, part of the Lakota nation. The case has drawn attention across Indian Country, in part because it touches on concerns about exploitation of spiritual authority and the broader crisis of violence against Native women in North America.
The allegations remain allegations. Chasing Horse has pleaded not guilty, and the claims will be decided by the jury. Proceedings are continuing in Las Vegas.
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