ARTCC CTLR HAD LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION BETWEEN MLT DESCENDING THROUGH ALT OF ENROUTE LGT.

Narrative

MLT X WBOUND 310; LGT Y NEBOUND 250 (60 MI APART AT THIS POINT) MLT X DESCENDED TO 250 ACR JET SAME DIRECTION JUST BELOW AT 240 DESCENDING. MLT X TURNED TO 220 DEG HEADING TO VECTOR SOUTH OF DAY INBOUND (ACR). ACR LEFT 240; MLT X WAS THEN CLRED 240 AND DIRECT FFO (APPROX 275 DEG HEADING) WHICH PUT HIM IN CONFLICTION WITH LGT Y; UNNOTICED AT THIS POINT. CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATED MLT X WAS TURNED TO 180 DEG HEADING. LGT Y WAS TURNED TO 360 DEG HEADING; BUT DID NOT RESPOND. MLT X WAS THEN DESCENDED 220. TFC WAS CALLED. MLT X REPORTED TFC IN SIGHT AND LEAVING 235. MLT X WAS THEN SWITCHED TO LOW SECTOR FREQ. APE HI SECTOR WORKING 20 ACFT (VERY COMPLEX); WEATHER NO FACTOR; A SLOW MOVING SMT AT FL250 IN TO CROSS OVER THE TOP AT 249 TO CLE; AND PIT INBOUNDS NE CORNER OF SECTOR CAUSED SEVERAL CLIMBERS TO BE STOPPED AT 240 FORCING INBOUNDS OVER TOP OF CLE. THIS SITUATION MAY HAVE DIVERTED MY ATTN FROM MLT X. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: REPORTER GAVE TYPE ACFT INVOLVED AND PROX OF TFC. ALSO SPECIFIED THE LOCATION OF THE INCIDENT AS 30 SW APE. SECTOR WAS FULLY STAFFED WITH D CTLR AND TRACKER. TFC VOLUME WAS HEAVY AND SLOW MOVING SMT IN HIGH ALT STRUCTURE WAS CREATING MORE WORKLOAD AND VERY DISTRACTING.