LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Actor Nathan Chasing Horse is accused of sex trafficking and sexually assaulting indigenous underage girls faced the judge Thursday morning.
Chasing Horse walked into the courtroom Thursday morning and immediately made eye contact with his family.
A man who identified himself as Chasing Horse’s brother shook a rattle that was hanging on his neck.
Chasing Horse often used a rattle in his ceremonies.
His attorney Mike Wilfong pointed out to the judge the support Chasing Horse had in the courtroom.
“Basically, the entire front row present today are all family members, there are some additional family members that did speak with me he has a great deal of support,” Wilfong said.
The actor was arrested outside his North Las Vegas home Tuesday night after police and SWAT swarmed in.
Police said he led a cult known as “The Circle” — and persuaded underage girls to believe spirits wanted them to have sex with him.
Documents stated he also portrayed himself as the “Medicine Man”
and had as many as six wives — but it was unclear if any of them were in the courtroom on Thursday.
Chasing Horse was banned from the Fort Peck Reservation in Montana back in 2015 after allegations of trafficking.
Angeline Cheek who grew up on that reservation has memories of Chasing Horse.
“The people who were in Chasing Horse’s circle would often threaten the ones who weren’t for him,” Cheek said.
She also told 8 News Now that at the time of the banishing of Chasing Horse from the reservation, his people said things such as “something bad is going to come your way you better watch out. “
Cheek said she remembers when she was a teen in high school, Chasing Horse would try to recruit some of her classmates to be his wife.
“A lot of people at the time were scared to tell their story because there were a lot of young women involved,” Cheek said.
Bail for Chasing Horse was not set on Thursday, but he is expected back in court on Monday, Feb. 6, where the judge will hear from the defense attorney, prosecutor, victims, and Chasing Horse’s relatives.