An unemployed US man who police said used an Internet chat room to arrange a mass suicide pact with dozens of people on Valentine's Day has been charged with trying to solicit aggravated murder.
Authorities seized the Oregon man's computer and are scouring it to identify and contact potential participants in the mass suicide to make sure they are safe.
Mr Gerald Krien (26), was charged with solicitation to commit attempted aggravated murder. He could face ten to 30 years in prison if convicted.
Participants in the planned group suicide appeared to be people "not happy with that date and not happy with their own personal lives," a police spokesman said.
The police were tipped off by a Canadian woman who learned that one mother was allegedly planning to kill her two children and take her own life.
The chat room was designed for people interested in suicide, the spokesman said.
Mr Krien lives with his parents in the southern Oregon town of Klamath Falls. He has had no prior contact with local law enforcement and is being held on $100,000 bail.
"There is no evidence of a religious or cult following with this group," police said.