Nathan Chasing Horse appears to communicate with supporters in Las Vegas court appearance
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Nathan Chasing Horse appeared briefly in a Las Vegas courtroom on Monday where he smiled and appeared to communicate with supporters.
A status check was scheduled to address the status of his criminal case. It remains pending while Chasing Horse, 47, awaits a decision from the Nevada Supreme Court.
The “Dances with Wolves” actor previously filed an appeal to the high court, arguing for the 18 charges against him in Clark County District Court to be dropped. Chasing Horse’s defense attorney, Kristy Holston, argued prosecutors failed to present evidence that both women identified as victims in Clark County did not consent to sexual encounters.
On Feb. 22, a grand jury in Clark County indicted Chasing Horse for a total of 19 counts. This included 10 counts of sexual assault against a minor under the age of 16, six counts of sexual assault, along with open and gross lewdness, first-degree kidnapping of a minor, and trafficking in a controlled substance.
Seventeen counts in the indictment are related to the alleged long-term sexual abuse of a woman who said she was a former wife.
In an exclusive interview with the 8 News Now Investigators, Corena Leone, formerly Corena Chasing Horse, said that Chasing Horse first sexually assaulted her when she was 14 years old. She said that she was seeking his help from the self-proclaimed “Medicine Man” to help heal her mother who had cancer.
“What happened there was rape and there’s no other label to put on it,” Leone, now 25, said during the interview. “He is a narcissist, and he knowingly does what he does and he doesn’t have any remorse for it. What he did, he knows what he did.”
At the age of 16, Leone said that Chasing Horse asked her mother if she could be his wife. Her mother told the 8 News Now Investigators that as a follower of Chasing Horse and a member of his alleged cult known as “The Circle” at the time, she thought his request was an honor. Leone told the 8 News Now Investigators that after years of physical, sexual and mental abuse, she was able to escape.
Las Vegas Metro police investigated Chasing Horse and executed a search warrant at his North Las Vegas home where he lived with several wives in January. He was taken into custody and has remained in the Clark County Detention Center in downtown Las Vegas. His bail was set at $300,000.
One count is in connection with the alleged sexual assault of an adult woman.
On April 7, Clark County District Court Judge Carli Kierny dismissed the drug charge. While Las Vegas Metro Police reported seizing a significant amount of magic mushrooms, Kierny wrote in a six-page order that there was no testimony at all about who lived in the home.
The Las Vegas case is the first of several to move forward against Chasing Horse. He is accused of victimizing indigenous underage girls and women as he traveled throughout the United States and Canada for at least two decades for native ceremonies, including powwows. He also claimed that he was a “Medicine Man.”
In June, Tssut’Ina Nation Police Service located in Canada near Calgary announced applications for four arrest warrants. At least one allegation dates back to 2005.
“We had a lot of collaboration with our Las Vegas partners in relation to some of the evidence brought forward and there is no question that he is guilty of those,” Sgt. Nancy Farmer said during a press conference.
Chasing Horse is expected to face a total of nine counts including three counts of sexual exploitation, four counts of sexual assault, one count of sexual interference with a person under the age of 16 and one count of removal of a child from Canada under the age of 16, according to the police department. The arrest warrants were supported by Alberta Prosecution Services, police said.
Tsuut’Ina Nation Police Service referred to significant planning between prosecutors of different jurisdictions including in Keremeo, British Columbia, Fort Peck, Montana and Nevada.
The 8 News Now Investigators have learned that similar allegations against Chasing Horse have previously been made, but did not result in an arrest.
Chasing Horse also faces previous warrants in Canada and Montana, along with federal charges in the United States. After his arrest in Nevada, several investigations in other jurisdictions were both opened and/or reopened as more women throughout the U.S. and Canada came forward.
Chasing Horse was previously banned from several reservations.
The next status check for the case in Clark County District Court was scheduled for Oct. 30.
To reach investigative reporter Vanessa Murphy with any tips or information, email vmurphy@8newsnow.com.
To contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline, call 1-800-656-4673.
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