Dances with Wolves star Nathan Chasing Horse jailed for at least 37 years for sexual assault

US former actor Nathan Chasing Horse has been sentenced to least 37 years in prison for sexually assaulting Indigenous women and girls.

The 49-year-old, known for his role in Dances With Wolves, had earlier been convicted of 13 charges, mostly relating to the assault of three women. One victim was 14 when the abuse began.

Chasing Horse, who is also known as Nathan Lee Chasing His Horse, had a reputation as a medicine man among Indigenous tribes across the US and Canada.

Accusers and their families told the Nevada court he exploited his position as a spiritual leader, with multiple victims attending his ceremonies or approaching him for medical help.

One of his victims, Corena Leone-LaCroix, who was 14 at the time the abuse started and came forward publicly, said: "There is no way to get back the youth, the childhood loss, my first time, my first kiss, the graduation I never got to have."

"The life that little girl could have lived has been taken from me forever," she said according to the news agency AP, which noted that she had gone public with her allegations.

Before passing sentence, Judge Jessica Peterson told Chasing Horse he preyed on women's spirituality, adding: "You manipulated them for your own personal gratification."

As an actor, Chasing Horse was best known for his role as a young member of South Dakota's Sioux tribe in the Oscar-winning 1990 film Dances With Wolves.

Jurors heard from three women who said they were sexually assaulted by Chasing Horse. He was found guilty of 13 of the 21 charges he faced.

Deputy district attorney Bianca Pucci told the jury that he had "spun a web of abuse" for almost 20 years.

She said he told Leone-LaCroix that the spirits wanted her to give up her virginity to save her mother, who had cancer.

Chasing Horse, who denied the allegations, will be eligible for parole after serving 37 years.

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