Judge allows evidence of other alleged sex assaults to be used in Chasing Horse case

A Las Vegas judge said Wednesday that prosecutors are allowed to present testimony from other women who have alleged they were sexually assaulted by Nathan Chasing Horse, an alleged cult leader accused of preying on the Native American community.

Chasing Horse, 48, was indicted for the second time in Clark County in October on charges of sexual assault of a minor, first-degree kidnapping of a minor, open and gross lewdness, sexual assault, using a minor under the age of 14 in the production of pornography and possessing images depicting sexual conduct with a child.

Prosecutors had filed a motion arguing that evidence of other sexual assaults that are not covered by the indictment should be admissible at trial.

The evidence included an allegation from one of the alleged victims, who said Chasing Horse raped her in South Dakota before she traveled to visit him in Las Vegas, where she said she was again assaulted, according to court records.

‘Could not be more prejudicial’

Prosecutors also want to admit evidence from a woman who said Chasing Horse raped her in Montana when she was 15 years old, while they were traveling to a Native American ceremony. Other evidence includes a third woman who said she met Chasing Horse while at a treatment center in Montana when she was 13, and that he raped her multiple times.

Chief Deputy District Attorney William Rowles argued Wednesday that there is a specific Nevada law that allows for such evidence in sexual assault cases.

“This is the only type of crime where this is allowed, your honor,” Rowles told District Judge Jessica Peterson.

The judge ruled that prosecutors could use the evidence of other alleged crimes, as long as the trial includes witness testimony, and not just police reports documenting the incidents.

“Given the isolated nature of the crimes and lack of eyewitnesses this evidence is essential for providing the jury with a complete understanding of the case,” Peterson said.

Chasing Horse’s attorney, Craig Mueller, argued that the evidence would influence how a jury views his client and would harm Chasing Horse’s right to a fair trial.

“This could not be more prejudicial,” he told the judge.

Jury trial set for April

Chasing Horse, who also is known for playing Smiles a Lot in the 1990 Kevin Costner film “Dances With Wolves,” was accused of committing crimes in the U.S. and Canada between 2012 and 2023, while running a cult called The Circle.

He was arrested in January 2023 after police raided his North Las Vegas home, where he lived with multiple women he viewed as wives.

Multiple women have told police that Chasing Horse assaulted them and filmed himself “having intercourse with them while they were conscious and unconscious,” according to a prior arrest report. He also was accused of grooming one woman when she was a childand telling her to have sex with him so that he could heal her mother’s cancer.

Following the hearing, Mueller said he intends to challenge the constitutionality of the law that allows for this type of evidence.

The Nevada Supreme Court dismissed a previous indictment charging Chasing Horse after finding that prosecutors did not provide a grand jury with testimony defining grooming, despite a jury instruction that described the term.

A jury trial in the case is scheduled for April 2025.

Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240.