Boyd & Station Casinos Sued for Alleged Negligence | Santa Fe Station

Las Vegas – Two survivors of Nathan Chasing Horse have filed a lawsuit against Cannery Casino and Hotel, owned by Boyd Gaming, and Santa Fe Station, owned by Station Casinos, alleging the hotels failed to prevent sex trafficking on their properties over several years. The lawsuit, filed Monday in Nevada, claims hotel staff ignored numerous red flags while Chasing Horse allegedly forced the plaintiffs, identified as M.L. And C.L., into sex trafficking between 2014 and 2022.

According to the lawsuit, Chasing Horse utilized multiple rooms at both casinos, frequently renewing rentals, to facilitate the trafficking. The plaintiffs allege they were compelled to accompany Chasing Horse throughout the casinos and were prohibited from interacting with or making eye contact with hotel employees. The suit further claims the women were forced into sexual acts with multiple buyers during each stay, resulting in consistent traffic to and from the rooms.

The lawsuit alleges that staff at both casinos observed signs of trafficking, including frequent visitors to the rooms, visible bruising on the women, and their apparent exhaustion and fear. The plaintiffs claim the casinos profited from the room rentals and provided Chasing Horse with complimentary gifts to encourage his continued patronage.

“People like Nathan Chasing Horse don’t operate in a vacuum,”

Alex Marcinko, attorney for the plaintiffs

Attorney Alex Marcinko stated that the lawsuit aims to achieve “institutional accountability,” arguing that the hotels allowed the trafficking to continue despite clear indications of criminal activity. “What he was allowed to do to these women and many other women was only capable of being done because these hotels allowed it to continue going on despite obvious signs,” Marcinko said in a phone interview.

The lawsuit also accuses both casinos of failing to implement adequate anti-trafficking policies, training programs, and procedures for identifying, reporting, and preventing sex trafficking. The suit alleges that hotel staff acted as lookouts for Chasing Horse, alerting him to the presence of law enforcement.

Nathan Chasing Horse, known for his role as Smiles a Lot in the film “Dances with Wolves,” was sentenced to 37 years to life in prison on April 27, 2026, after being convicted of sexually assaulting two victims.

Representatives for Station Casinos and Boyd Gaming have declined to comment on the lawsuit. Alex Acuna, a spokesperson for Station Casinos, and Boyd spokesperson David Strow both declined to provide statements.

This lawsuit comes amid increasing scrutiny of the hospitality industry’s role in combating sex trafficking. The U.S. Attorney’s office has reportedly expressed concern over a lack of cooperation from the casinos in previous investigations, according to reporting from KLAS 8 News Now.

If you or someone you know is a victim of sex trafficking, resources are available. You can contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or visit https://humantraffickinghotline.org/. Additional support can be found through Polaris Project at https://polarisproject.org/.