Horace Gomble

Horace Gomble was a psychiatrist and researcher for the CIA in the early-1960s, and later became a private practice psychiatrist in Beverly Hills with a specialty in hypnotherapy. Using his skill in hypnosis, Gomble created a stage act under the name of Horace the Hypnotist and became a famous Las Vegas performer by the mid-1970s, making four appearances on the Tonight Show. He fell out of favor with Hollywood after using hypnosis to embarrass some celebrities.

After his fame faded, Gomble went on the road to perform at county fairs, and was eventually arrested in Orlando, Florida for molesting the young girls who volunteered as his assistants at his fair shows. He was convinced in 1989 of four counts of sexual assault and sentenced to 85 years at the Union Correctional Institution at Raiford, where his cellmate was William Gladden. Gomble eventually became a trustee prisoner with access to the internet, which he then used to set up a pedophile web site, PTL Network. The web site facilitated the sale of child pornography between pedophiles. Gomble's scheme was uncovered by the investigation into William Gladden's criminal activities.

A book was eventually written about Gomble.

Appearances

• The Poet (mentioned)
• Blood Work (mentioned)