A 39-year-old Hudson man who deputies said was missing and endangered has been found safe, according to the Pasco Sheriff's Office. Joseph Barto was last seen around 6 p.m. Wednesday in the Thomas Boulevard area of Hudson.
The sheriff's office described Barto in an alert as a missing and endangered 39-year-old, according to the Pasco Sheriff's Office.
The description issued while the search was underway described Barto as 5 feet 10 inches tall and around 220 pounds, with gray hair and brown eyes. When he was last seen, he was wearing a black hat, a black sweatshirt and blue jeans, and he was carrying a black backpack, per the same account.
Barto Found Safe
The sheriff's office posted an update confirming the outcome: “Update: Barto was found and is safe.”
Florida law defines a “missing endangered person” to include an adult age 26 or older whom law enforcement suspects is endangered or may be the victim of criminal activity. That classification describes the agency’s assessment; it does not, by itself, establish that a crime occurred. For adults in this age group, only the law enforcement agency handling the case may submit a report to the state’s Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse. Florida’s missing-person statute sets out the definition and reporting rules.
The Pasco Sheriff’s Office says public involvement is a regular part of its missing-person response: it shares cases on social media and its news site to spread information and generate tips. The agency also says its general search resources include aviation and drone support for covering wide or hard-to-reach areas, as well as K9 teams. The office has not said whether those resources were used in Barto’s case. The sheriff’s office’s description of its recovery efforts outlines those tools.
