NEW YORK (AP) — A suburban New York man has been sentenced to one to three years in prison for stealing nearly $500,000 in prize money that a Japanese foundation had awarded to jazz composer and pianist Cecil Taylor.

Noel Muir, of Uniondale, was sentenced Monday after pleading guilty last month to grand larceny. Information on his lawyer wasn’t immediately available.

Prosecutors say the 55-year-old Muir had befriended Taylor while working as a general contractor on a brownstone next to Taylor’s Brooklyn residence.

Prosecutors say Taylor was one of three recipients of the 2013 Kyoto Award and Muir had accompanied Taylor to Japan to help arrange for receipt of the prize money. Instead, prosecutors say Muir instructed the money be sent to his own account.

Muir has since returned $200,000 to the victim.

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