Dances With Wolves actor Nathan Chasing Horse has been charged with sexual assault

Las Vegas: A former Dance with wolves The actor, who is accused of leading a cult, could face multiple crimes and life in prison after police said he sexually assaulted young Indigenous girls and took several wives over a period of two decades, court documents show .

As of Wednesday, Nathan Lee Chasing His Horse, who calls himself Nathan Chasing Horse, is charged with at least two counts of sex trafficking and one count each of sexually assaulting a child under 16, child abuse or neglect, and sexual assault, according to the records. Authorities have not said when he will be formally charged.

If he is convicted of two counts of sex trafficking, he could face 20 years in prison, and he could face life behind bars for a conviction on either sexual assault charge.

Las Vegas police took Chasing Horse into custody Tuesday afternoon as he left the north Las Vegas home he shares with his five wives, the warrant said. He was checked into the Clark County Jail before midnight, where he was being held without bail on Wednesday morning on sexual assault charges.

Three women were detained outside the Chasing Horse home Tuesday night as detectives searched the property, but police have not released details of possible charges against them or their relationship with Chasing Horse.

Known for his role as a young member of the Sioux tribe Smiles a Lot in the Oscar-winning film directed by Kevin Costner, Chasing Horse gained a solid reputation among tribes across the United States and Canada as a so-called medicine man, performing healing ceremonies and police claim, used his position to abuse young Native American girls.

His arrest was the culmination of a months-long investigation that began after the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department received a tip in October 2022.

And it comes as attorneys general and legislators across the US consider establishing specialized units to handle cases involving Native American women.