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Ex-Teacher Pleads No Contest For Probation Camp 'Fight Club'

PASADENA (CBS) — A former substitute teacher at a juvenile probation camp — who was arrested last year for staging fights between teenage boys — pleaded no contest on Tuesday to a half-dozen felony child abuse charges.

Stephen Wesley, 44, of Winnetka is expected to be sentenced April 15 to 180 days in county jail and one year of anger management counseling. He will also lose his teaching credential, according to Deputy District Attorney Ilean Richard.

Wesley — who was an employee of the Los Angeles County Office of Education — was a substitute math and science teacher for teenage boys between the ages of 13 and 17 at the now-closed Camp Karl Holton in the San Fernando Valley.

Wesley was accused of matching up six students from rival gangs. An Aug. 8, 2008, fight was captured on video, according to the prosecutor.

Wesley was immediately removed from the classroom, then voluntarily resigned the following month.

(©2010 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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