Dances With Wolves actor faces new sex assault charges in Canada

Nathan Lee Chasing His Horse has been in jail in the US since his arrest in January for allegedly sexually assaulting young indigenous girls.

The new charges include removing a child from Canada under the age of 16.

The Dances With Wolves actor is also accused of leading a cult-like group called The Circle.

The former actor, who goes by the name of Nathan Chasing Horse, had pleaded not guilty to the charges in the US.

Court documents suggest Chasing Horse, 46, had gained a reputation among indigenous tribes across the US and Canada as a medicine man. He is accused of using his position as a healer to commit the abuse.

"The investigation spanned over the course of several years with one of the offences dating back to 2005," the Tsuut'ina Nation Police Service said in a statement.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Tsuut'ina Nation Police Service Sergeant Nancy Farmer said they "anticipate more victims will come forward".

"The prosecution of Nathan Chasing Horse in different legal jurisdictions has required significant planning and cooperation between prosecutors," the statement said.

Chasing Horse, who is currently in custody in Las Vegas, also faces charges in Montana and British Columbia.

Sergeant Farmer explained that extradition is a possibility, but it would have to be considered by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada.

Before his January arrest in the US, Chasing Horse's home near Las Vegas, which he is said to share with five wives, was raided following a months-long police investigation.

Some of his alleged victims are reported to have been as young as 13. One of his wives was allegedly offered to him as a "gift" when she was 15, while another became a wife after turning 16.

Canadian officials did not share details on the victims - whether or not they were different than US victims.

He is also accused of recording sexual assaults and arranging sex with the victims for other men who allegedly paid him for that.

His lawyers in the US case have argued that his accusers wanted to have sex with him, the CBC reported.

According to police, Chasing Horse was banished in 2015 from a reservation in Montana amid allegations of human trafficking.

During his time as an actor, he was best known for his role as the young Sioux tribe member Smiles a Lot in the Oscar-winning 1990 Kevin Costner film Dances With Wolves.

The BBC has contacted one of Chasing Horse's lawyers for comment.

-bbc