Overview
- Nathan Chasing Horse, convicted in January on 13 of 21 counts, was sentenced Monday to 37 years to life by Judge Jessica Peterson in Las Vegas.
- The convictions included 10 counts of sexually assaulting a minor under 16, one count of open and gross lewdness, one count of sexual assault, and one count of possessing child sexual abuse material.
- Prosecutors said he exploited his status as a self-described Lakota medicine man and leader of a group called the Circle to target Indigenous women and girls, including a teen who testified the abuse began at 14.
- He denied wrongdoing in court, calling the outcome a miscarriage of justice, and his attorney said he will appeal, while victims described lasting trauma and a crisis of faith.
- Separate matters in Canada remain pending, with a British Columbia charge tied to a 2018 incident and an Alberta warrant still active, and officials there plan to assess prosecution after U.S. appeals.