Palm Springs Man Implicated In Child Porn Ring

PALM SPRINGS -Federal prosecutors in Pittsburgh say they’ve arrested eight people in a large online child pornography ring that required potential members to share images to show they weren’t in law enforcement.

Records indicate more than 100 people may be involved.

Authorities contend Stephen Sims, who now lives inSan Leandro, California, and recently just moved from Palm Springs,served as a security officer of a private group on the social networking site Multiply, where he vetted potential members. A message left for his attorney on Tuesday wasn’t returned.

Authorities say the group’s accounts contained numerous depictions of child pornography.

The investigation stems from the 2008 arrest of a westernPennsylvania man who’s cooperating.