Stephen Wesley, 43, a former substitute teacher at a juvenile probation camp was arrested Tuesday for supervising a series of fights between students in rival gangs, authorities said.

Los Angeles County sheriff’s spokesman Steve Whitmore said Wesley, 43, set rules and told students not to punch each other in the face to avoid obvious signs of injury.

“Wesley not only allowed the fights to take place but also encouraged them by setting ground rules, including time limits,” Whitmore said. “He directed the minors where to fight in the room.”

Authorities reported Wesley was arrested at a home in the San Fernando Valley.  He was arrested on six counts of felony child endangerment stemming from the Aug. 8, 2008 altercations.

It was  unknown if Wesley had hired an attorney. He told the Los Angeles Times before his arrest that he knew nothing about any fights during classes.

Wesley was being held in lieu of $600,000 bail.

Carl Remington, the county’s interim chief probation officer said, “It was something that never should have happened.”  Videotape was reviewed by officials and there had been five fights in Wesley’s classroom during the day.

A discussion was being lead by Wesley when two students from rival gangs got into an argument, Whitmore said. Wesley encouraged them to settle their dispute physically.

“His job was to create a safe environment,” Whitmore said. “What we believe is that he was doing the opposite.”

Spokeswoman Margo Minecki said Wesley had worked for less than two years as a substitute teacher at the Los Angeles County Office of Education.  He resigned Sept. 29, 2008.