Two East Peoria letter carriers are receiving a national award for rescuing a 12-year-old boy from a registered sex offender who was later convicted of kidnapping.

According to reports, Cristy Perfetti and Steve Plunkett helped rescue the boy in May 2013 after seeing him crying in the parking lot behind the East Peoria post office. Teddy Meyer was holding the boy's arm. Perfetti contacted her supervisor and Plunkett followed Meyer while post office employees called police.

Meyer was sentenced to life in prison for aggravated kidnapping.

Perfetti and Plunkett will fly to Washington, D.C., on Monday to accept a Heroes of the Year unit citation from the National Association of Letter Carriers. The organization represents about 280,000 members and gives a handful of hero awards each year.