'Dances with Wolves' star arrested on suspicion of leading a cult and sexually abusing Native American girls
- A star of the movie "Dances With Wolves" was arrested on suspicion of sex abuse crimes on Tuesday.
- Nathan Chasing Horse used his position as a spiritual leader to prey on young girls, police say.
A star of the movie "Dances with Wolves" was arrested and his home raided by Las Vegas police on Tuesday as part of a monthslong investigation into sex cult allegations, the Associated Press reported.
Nathan Lee Chasing His Horse, who also goes by Nathan Chasing Horse, is accused of sexually assaulting young Indigenous girls over a period of two decades as part of a cult known as The Circle, according to police records seen by the AP.
He was listed as being held at Clark County Jail as of Wednesday. Insider was unable to immediately reach him for comment.
Chasing Horse is known for his role as Smiles A Lot, a Sioux tribe member in the 1990 movie "Dances With Wolves" starring Kevin Costner in the lead role. The movie won seven Oscars the following year.
He starred in several further TV productions and, according to the AP, went on to build a reputation as a medicine man and healer among US and Canadian tribes. Police now say he abused that position to prey on young girls.
"Nathan Chasing Horse used spiritual traditions and their belief system as a tool to sexually assault young girls on numerous occasions," the warrant said, according to the AP.
The search warrant obtained by the outlet details allegations dating back to the early 2000s of sex trafficking, sexual assault of a child younger than 16, and child abuse, from a total of six alleged victims — some as young as 13.
It also alleges that he arranged sexual encounters between his alleged victims and other men, for cash, the AP reported.
The arrest follows longstanding concerns from tribal communities.
In 2015, tribal leaders in Fort Peck Reservation, Montana, voted to banish Chasing Horse over allegations of human trafficking, drug abuse and intimidation, Indian Country Today reported at the time.
Chasing Horse was born in Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, the location of the Sicangu Sioux tribe of the Lakota Nation, according to the AP.
If convicted he could face years behind bars.